The Patriots Tour is an entertainment troupe which celebrates America’s Heroes. The word “Hero” is defined as: “A person of great courage” and… “Any man or woman admired for their exploits, especially in war..” Our nation’s military along with the First Responders (Police, Fire, EMS.), meet and exceed that definition. They are locked daily in a war that puts them in harms way. Whether it’s a firefighter rushing into a burning building while others are “rushing” out, or, a Marine in Afghanistan locked in a fire fight with insurgents. 

The Patriots Tour is a most unique performing troupe which concentrates on entertaining the military, and first responders. (Police, Fire Fighters and EMS). The tours uniqueness is a combination of their targeted entertainment at a specific group and the fact that many of the performers are also military and first responders. For example, the host (John Ligato) is a highly decorated Marine and retired FBI agent who spent 8 of his 21 years in deep cover. Other performers include a former NY City police officer, a Michigan State Trooper and a Firefighter. (ALL are professional comedians).  This unique aspect gives the tour instant credibility with the audience. The Patriot Tour directly involves the audience in a touching and appropriate way. 

 

Board of Directors

John Ligato is a highly qualified, greatly decorated Serviceman both in the United States Marine Corps and The FBI. His resume reads like a storybook hero- one which laid the foundation for a movie and a book based on his life.  In the United States Marine Corps., John was with the lead contingent (walked Point in Vietnam which in 1967/68 had a life expectancy of 27 days) of Marines into Hue’ City during the 1968 TET offensive (largest battle of Vietnam…95% casualty rate for Alpha 1/1 Marines.)  John was awarded three Purple Hearts for wounds received in action as well as other awards for valor which include: Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Combat Action Medal, & Vietnamese Service Medal w/a Bronze Star. Governor Shapp selected John as one of Pennsylvania’s 30 Most Distinguished Veterans in 1971. In 1991 John was inducted into the Marine Corps Museum for capturing the 6th NVA Regimental Flag at Hue’. The FBI/Marine Corps valor award was bestowed upon John in 1992. Since his combat experiences, John has been a motivational speaker for the Marine Corps at numerous Marine Corps Birthday Balls all over the country. John has appeared in a major movie based on his life, entitled “10th and Wolf” starring Val Kilmer, Dennis Hopper and James Marsden and had a major role in the 2008 A&E television show, The Runaway Squad. He also wrote the book, Lerza’s Lives (St. Martins Press), which is loosely based on his undercover experiences. In the last few years John has tried his hand in comedy appearing at Gotham Comedy Club (home of Last Comic Standing) in New York City and The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. For the past five years, John has hosted a talk radio show on 1420 AM, WHK in Cleveland Ohio. He holds a Masters Degree in Education (Psychology) and is a College Professor in Law Enforcement.

 

Joseph Dominick Pistone, alias Donnie Brasco, born 1939 in Erie, Pennsylvania, is a former FBI agent who worked undercover for six years infiltrating the Bonanno crime family and to a lesser extent the Colombo crime family, two of the Five Families of the Mafia in New York City.  Pistone was an FBI agent for 17 years and is considered to be an FBI legend. Pistone was a pioneer for deep long-term undercover work. J. Edgar Hoover originally did not want FBI agents to work undercover because it could be a dirty job and might end up tainting the agents, but Pistone’s work helped convince the FBI that using undercover agents instead of just using informants was a crucial tool in law enforcement. Pistone detailed his undercover experience in his 1987 book Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia. The book was the basis for the critically acclaimed 1997 film Donnie Brasco, starring Johnny Depp as Pistone and Al Pacino as “Lefty” Ruggiero, and for the short-lived 2000 TV series Falcone, starring Jason Gedrick as Pistone (whose mob alias was changed from “Donnie Brasco” to “Joe Falcone” for copyright reasons). Pistone was a consultant on Donnie Brasco and made sure that all the portrayals and settings were accurate. Pistone revisited his experiences as Donnie Brasco in his books The Way of the Wiseguy (2004) and Donnie Brasco: Unfinished Business (2007). Pistone wrote a novel titled, The Good Guys, with Joseph Bonanno‘s son, Salvatore Bonanno. He has also written several fiction books such as Deep Cover, Mobbed Up and Snake Eyes. He has served as an executive producer on movies relating to the Mafia, including the 2006 film 10th & Wolf. In 2008, Italian artist Rossella Biscotti interviewed Pistone in her video The Undercover Man. A play based on Donnie Brasco opened at the Pennsylvania Playhouse.  

 

Ray L. Smith is a retired United States Marine Corps Major General. Smith is a highly decorated Marine who has commanded infantry tall levels. His awards received for service in combat during the Vietnam War include the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, the Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. MajGen Smith retired from the Marine Corps in 1999 after almost 34 years of service. In 2003, after nearly four years of retirement, Smith went to Iraq with the 1st Marine Division; and penned an eyewitness account of the March from Kuwait to Baghdad — The March Up: Taking Baghdad with the 1st Marine Division. Smith is a native of Oklahoma. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in Montana in December 1965. He graduated as the Platoon and Series Honorman at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego in 1966. In March 1967, he graduated from Officer Candidates School and from The Basic School in August 1967. During his first tour in Vietnam, Lt. Smith served as a Platoon (4 months) and Company Commander (9 months) in Alpha 1/1, seeing combat action in Hue, Khe Sanh, the Rockpile, Con Thien, “Dodge City” and south of Da Nang. He was awarded the Silver Star for his actions during the Tet Offensive. 

 

Tom Kozlowski, CEO, The Patriots Tour, is a Venture-Marketing Specialist, Entrepreneur, and True Patriot.
 His Business Development Ideas, and Marketing Systems have earned Tom a great deal of success. With a background in casino gaming and marketing, he has been consulting and implementing his ideas and concepts to different companies and many industries all around the world. Tom Kozlowski holds the distinction of being the youngest floor manager in the history of casino gaming. Tom Kozlowski is a Venture Marketing Specialist. His entrepreneurial and marketing systems have earned Tom Kozlowski success for both himself AND his clients.  With a background in casino gaming and marketing, he has been consulting and implementing his systems with different companies and industries all around the world. A student if marketing for the last 20 years, he has studied and worked with many of the greats in the marketing industry By keeping in touch with the latest trends and techniques, Tom is able to implement these ideas into your business in a professional and efficient manner. After much time, energy, and investment, Tom has created his own unique systems that bring immediate results, cuts out unnecessary and obsolete marketing practices. At the same time, his system creates new revenue streams, client bases, and opportunities that have never been revealed before. After many ventures in various business arenas Tom takes great pride in the development of The Patriot Tour.