Kristy Graby is one of many Lebanon County natives throughout the history of Fort Indiantown Gap to answer the call to serve her country in the U.S. military.
Graby told LebTown during Saturday’s open house at the military installation in northern Lebanon County that she graduated from Palmyra High School in 2001, went to Shippensburg University, then joined the service in March 2002 after the events of 9/11.
“It was always something that I had in the back of my mind, something I kind of wanted to do, but I definitely wanted to go to college, too,” said Graby, a Lebanon resident who serves in the Air National Guard. “So I went to college and I’m like, ‘You know what? I feel like I want to do a little bit more.’ And then 9/11 happened and I’m like, ‘OK, that was my sign to join,’ and here I am.”
A 24-year military veteran, Graby works in retention and recruitment for the Air Guard. The open house, which was moved from November to June this year, is part public relations, part recruitment opportunity for FTIG and the military.
LebTown asked Graby what she tells potential recruits to encourage them to consider a military career.
“First of all, there’s so much opportunity. The amount of doors that being in the military opens for you as a young adult, it’s incredible. There’s so many experiences that I’ve had, jobs along the way that I’ve had that I would have never experienced,” Graby said. “That door would have never opened had I not been a traditional guardsman here. So super amazing opportunities, traveling is huge, the benefits you get are remarkable.”
More benefits have been added lately, she added.
“Now we’re offering huge signing bonuses, we’re offering college education. In Pennsylvania we have the MFEP, so it is your family education plan. Both my kids have full rides to state schools, I mean, that’s unheard of actually in most other states,” Graby said. “There’s not a lot of jobs that are gonna offer you, ‘Hey, we’ll pay for your education and also if you serve with us for six-plus years, we’ll also pay for your family members during their school term.’ So there’s the benefits, the camaraderie. I mean, if you have a love for your nation, there’s no better way to show it and be part of it than serving in the military.”
Saturday’s event paid tribute to both the upcoming semiquincentennial of the nation’s founding in 1776 and the anniversary of D-Day invasion of the beaches in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, France, according to base commander Col. Kevin Potts.
“We like to look at the Gap as part of the overall Army, right? We are the No. 1 busiest National Guard post in the nation,” Potts said. “As you know, our post was bought and built from ’31, 1931 and on. Last year was our busiest year that we had since the National Guard took over the post in 1998. So it’s kind of a celebration of not only the 250th, but also just what the PA Guard has to offer and how long we’ve been around and how important we truly are to the state and to the nation.”
Read More:
1931 was when the National Guard was founded in Mount Gretna, Potts added.
“We outgrew Mount Gretna and that’s why the state actually bought this plot of land here, 12,700 acres. And then that was in 1931 and it’s grown to 17,600 acres over the years,” Potts said.
LebTown asked Potts the importance of FTIG to Lebanon County’s economy.
“We’re one of the largest employers in Lebanon County here at the Gap with full-time staff, and a lot of our staff live in Lebanon County. So it’s a very important symbiotic relationship that we have with Lebanon County,” Potts said. “Then when you talk about the building of the post and it was used for mobilization during World War II, a lot of troops came through here and then deployed out and returned as well.”
Potts also noted the purpose of the open house.
“Today’s event is mainly so we can show the community what the Pennsylvania Guard has to offer everybody in the local community, right? So it’s the Air (Force) and the Army side doing everything that they do.”
The free event also included the opportunity for young and old alike to experience military vehicles up close and personal, including the chance to climb into them. It also featured an appearance by Miss Pennsylvania, live tactical demonstrations, flyovers, military equipment and vehicle displays, and an infantry squad maneuver demonstration from the 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment.
“We brought out the tanks, static displays and the fire and police department vehicles, trucks, dump trucks, loaders and aircraft and everything so that way we can just show everybody what we do and invite them back on post,” Potts said. “Keeping that open community kind of thing going so just to show that we’re not (closed) just because it’s secured. The post secured doesn’t mean that they can’t come.”
LebTown asked Potts his vision of the installation’s future role in the military over the next 250 years, especially given the recent introduction of drone warfare. The National Guard’s role also includes providing national security and safety at home, including support during weather events.
“I still think that Fort Indiantown Gap and the PA Guard will still be clutch. It will be super important in the defense of the nation. We are still expanding. We’re still changing ranges. We’re still trying to change our force structure to be more relevant in today’s warfare,” Potts said. “It’s a constantly changing environment that we will always try to be at the forefront of. I don’t know if it will be less of what we do but drone warfare is here to stay. It has been proven in Ukraine and it will definitely be (here).”
Questions about this story? Suggestions for a future LebTown article? Reach our newsroom using this contact form and we’ll do our best to get back to you.
Build the future of local news.
Cancel anytime.
Monthly Subscription
🌟 Annual Subscription
- Still no paywall!
- Fewer ads
- Exclusive events and emails
- All monthly benefits
- Most popular option
- Make a bigger impact
Already a member? Log in here to hide these messages
While other local news outlets are shrinking, LebTown is growing. Help us continue expanding our coverage of Lebanon County with a monthly or annual membership, or support our work with a one-time contribution. Every dollar goes directly toward local reporting. Cancel anytime.
