serving the next pennsylvania

We promote service to our communities, our commonwealth and our country as the key to developing effective leadership, responsible government and global awareness and we aim to encourage informed and informative discussion about the responsibilities of our democracy at the local level and on the world stage.

This is The Bisbee Project.

STEVE BISBEE, President
DAN BISBEE, Managing Director

20101110

VETERANS DAY TRIBUTE

We believe that Veterans Day is a time to reflect on the service and sacrifices of those who have come before us, remind ourselves about those who are serving now, and encourage those who will serve in the future. 

Service in the military is often something that connects families across generations. Grandfathers, fathers, uncles, sons and brothers are increasingly joined by mothers and sisters in sharing a heritage of service in uniform for our nation. The bonds forged during service can be as strong as those created by family, and as long-lasting. Two of our recent Scholarships for Service award winners are now finding out just how strong these bonds can be.

Michael and Zachary Sunday, graduates of Bellefonte High School and members of our Scholarships for Service Class of 2008, are both on their way towards careers of service in the U.S. Army. While they may be facing some new challenges, they did have some help getting prepared — their grandfather not only set a good example for them as a former Special Forces soldier, but he also put them through some hard core training!

Zack is currently stationed at Ft Benning, GA for One Station Unit Training (OSUT), a training program that combines the basic course of combat training with advanced individual training. After OSUT, Zack will attend the Airborne school to earn his parachute wings and then head off for the Special Forces Assessment Selection pre-training. Zack intends to serve as a Weapons Sergeant in the Special Forces, and has a few years of training in weapons and unconventional warfare ahead of him.

Michael is on his way to Ft Jackson, SC to begin training as a Cryptologic Linguist. He will also face the challenges of basic training, and then he heads off to the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio in Monterey, CA. Most likely his training will involve in-depth language and culture courses in Arabic and Farsi, before also heading to Airborne school and a shot at joining the Special Forces. At some point during the next few busy years Michael also plans to finish his degree in Criminal Justice.

Michael and Zack grew up hearing all about serving in the Special Forces from their grandfather, Don Gordon. But this retired S.F. Army colonel not only talks the talk; he can drill the troops, too. With an “0-dark thirty” training regimen that included pushups, pullups, situps, 2 mile runs, road marches and other methods developed to help “weakness leave the body” the old soldier made sure these two new ones were ready to make first formation in tip-top shape!