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ALSO SERVING HUMMELSTOWN & MIDDLETOWN
APRIL 24, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
Hummelstown youth will go from “high school to flight school” BY FRANCINE FULTON
Isaac Bell (fourth from right) attended the enlistment ceremony with his family members, several of whom have served in the military.
pilot. It streamlines the process.” Although his family members’ military background is primarily Air Force, they all share an interest in aviation as well as the Pennsylvania National Guard, including Bell’s mother, who is currently serving as a Pennsylvania National Guard airman. “Serving in the military has always been a goal of mine since before I could remember,” said Bell, a homeschooled student who graduated in 2022. “I have (been) around aviation since before I was born, quite literally. I have spent hours flying with my uncle, father and mother. My family has always taken our summer vacation to go to an airplane fly-in, where we take our family’s small plane and spend the week flying.” Bell also served in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) beginning at age 12. CAP, a U.S. Air Force auxiliary program, provides aviation and
ground services during emergencies. It is known for its youth development program. “If a hiker or hunter gets lost in the woods, CAP gets called to be part of the search team. If an airplane crashes, we will go find it and provide security. (CAP is also involved) with disaster relief and hurricane relief,” he said, adding that although CAP is a civilian organization, it is patterned after the Air Force and maintains a Isaac Bell at his enlistment and fleet of aircraft. “It’s for people swearing-in ceremony there, but my home will always be who want military experience.” Next up for Bell will be Army at the Gap (with the) Pennsylvania basic training. “Right now, I will Army National Guard.” Bell hopes that more youths do one weekend a month with the Guard until I leave for basic train- will take advantage of the 09W ing this summer in Fort Jackson program, which is available to in South Carolina, and after that I all Pennsylvania Army National will go to warrant officer candidate Guard recruits. “Basically, it would school at Fort Novosel in Alabama,” appeal to another high-schooler he noted. “I can still get deployed or someone just out of high school to other parts of the world from if your goal is to become a pilot,”
Local author to speak about World War II The Middletown Area Historical Society will host Mar y K laus as the g uest speaker on Monday, April 29, at 6:30 p.m. at Alfred’s Victorian Restaurant, 38 N. Union St., Middletown. Klaus juggles three careers; she is a journalist, a hospice nurse, and a firefighter. She spent much of her adult life as a newspaper reporter in Harrisburg, and she now writes for various publications, including a religious newspaper, the Sentinel in Carlisle, and Lancaster Farming, a regional farming newspaper. She is the author of three books, and during the upcoming presentation, she will delve into her latest book, “Blue Ribbon Patriotism: How the Pennsylvania Farm Show Helped the World War II Effort,” and the role the Middletown Area Historical Society played in her extensive research. Klaus also works as a nurse for Hospice of Central Pennsylvania and is a volunteer firefighter and an emergency medical technician with the Chambers Hill Fire Company, See Author pg 2
“Blue Ribbon Patriotism: How the Pennsylvania Farm Show Helped the World War II Effort” by Mary Klaus R105450
See Flight school pg 2
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saac Bell of Hummelstown, 19, recently became the first recruit in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard to enlist through a unique program that will allow him to fulfill his dream to become a military helicopter pilot directly after taking part in basic training. The program is formally named 09W but informally called “streets to seats” and “high school to flight school.” Bell took the oath of enlistment on March 15 during a ceremony at Muir Army Heliport at Fort Indiantown Gap. His family members, many of whom have served in the military, attended the program. Pennsylvania National Guard leaders in attendance included Maj. Gen. Michael Regan, deputy adjutant general - Air, and Brig. Gen. Laura McHugh, deputy adjutant general - Army. Bell, who joined the Pennsylvania National Guard as military occupational specialty 09W, explained that traditionally, soldiers are able to apply for flight school after serving for a few years or becoming an officer. “The normal route for a Guardsman to become a pilot is to enlist in the Army and work in different jobs like an aircraft mechanic working on helicopters,” he said. “Then you apply to go to warrant officer’s candidate school and then flight school and hope to get accepted. You are not guaranteed to get flight school.” “Typical warrant officers have to ser ve five to seven years before officer candidate school,” he continued. “(This program) shaves off a lot of time. I did not want to be in maintenance or a mechanic. I wanted to be a pilot. Now, I can skip to (becoming a)
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