Military service is family tradition for Penn State Harrisburg father, daughter

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MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - For a Penn State Harrisburg father and daughter, serving their country is a family tradition - and one they said has given them experiences they'd find nowhere else.

Retired Master Sgt. Gary Barb, associate director of information technology services at Penn State Harrisburg, is a veteran of both the U.S. Navy, which he served from 1989 to 1993, and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, which he served from 1994 to 2012.

His daughter, Jessica Barb, is a communications major at Penn State Harrisburg, where she participates in the Army ROTC program, and serves in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

The father and daughter will be featured speakers at Penn State Harrisburg's Veterans Day ceremony, set for 11:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 11, on Vartan Plaza.

Gary Barb followed in family footsteps to the military. His grandfathers both served, and his father chose to enlist during the Vietnam War and spent 11 months in combat.

"My dad, I remember him always saying to me, 'if not me, then who?'" he said.

Barb worked in the private sector for a year after high school but found himself wanting something different. At the time, his uncle was nearing the end of his own enlistment with the U.S. Navy.

"So, I talked to the Navy. I wanted to be an electrician," Barb said.

He joined the Navy where he served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation. When his active-duty enlistment ended with the Navy, he returned home and eventually joined the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.

He was assigned to the 211th Engineering Installation Squadron at Fort Indiantown Gap, where he served in roles including as a ground radio communications specialist, team chief and project manager of telecommunications projects. Over the years, his work included installing communications systems in places like Iceland, England and Italy, and engineering projects at Air Force bases around the U.S. While working with the project engineering section, he managed 10 projects at six Air National Guard bases.

For Barb, the military provided the opportunity to train and work on multimillion-dollar pieces of equipment at a young age, with constant mentorship from his superiors. Barb said his military service provided experiences like no other. Seeing planes launch from a flight deck is cool in the movies, he said, but nothing like feeling them launch while standing on the deck.

"The military, once you get in it, kind of draws you in and you're like, you know … why would I leave this?" he said.

But with five children, the drill weekends and active duty assignments became more challenging, and Barb retired from the Air National Guard in 2012, with a total of 22 years of military service.

When each of his kids neared the end of high school, he'd always ask if they were interested in the military.

He shared insights from his own experience - the bonds forged through decades of service; the sense of duty and honor that come with wearing the uniform; the pride he took in serving and protecting the nation. He talked to them about the discipline, resilience and leadership skills the military builds.

But he wanted them to make their own choices - he'd never insist on the military and made sure they knew it was a decision not to be taken lightly.

Four of the kids chose to serve - two with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard; one with the U.S. Marines; and Jessica, with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. They are the fifth generation of the family to serve.

Jessica Barb said that growing up, her dad's military co-workers seemed like a big family - caring and selfless.

"I always wanted to do something with my life that kind of gave back to others as much as I could," Jessica Barb said.

She remembers her father's retirement and the room full of people who came to support him. She also remembers seeing her sister, Emily, graduate from Air Force boot camp and the hundreds of people and families that turned out for the graduates.

That support is impactful, she said. And with so many family members having served, she felt like it was her turn.

"They served for me. So, if I'm capable of doing it, I might as well serve for them," she said.

Always interested in photography, Jessica Barb wanted to go into public affairs, so she researched her options and decided to enlist in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. She also wanted to participate in Army ROTC and study at Penn State Harrisburg.

"I knew going into it, the Army was probably going to be a little bit more challenging than the others," she said. "But I'm kind of a person that (likes) the challenge."

She spent the past summer working in the public affairs office at Fort Indiantown Gap, where she got just the kind of experiences she'd hoped for - taking photos from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and participating in artillery training, among many assignments.

There have been occasions where extended drills have caused her to miss tests or classes, but typically her service requires one weekend per month - making it somewhat easy to balance with college, she said.

Both Jessica and Gary Barb emphasize the opportunities that military service has presented them, wishing more people knew just how many options there are.

"There's so many opportunities, too, for everyone to be able to grow and learn what works for them," Jessica Barb said.

Asked what it's like to see his children grow up and choose the military path, Gary Barb quieted momentarily.

"That's pretty neat … to be able to carry that tradition on," he said. "It's pretty amazing."