Veterans Day Reflection
November 2014
Veterans Day always brings about a time of reflection regarding the relationship between our nation as a whole and the veterans of its armed forces. A great deal of thanks is paid to those who have served in uniform, and it is more than humbling to be among those on the receiving end of that thanks.
We started The Bisbee Project because we were proud to be veterans, and believed that our experiences in military service were fundamental in broadening our understanding of the world and sharpening our commitment to improving that world. So, we find that this is the perfect time of the year to take a moment to express our thanks, as veterans, to the nation that provided us with such extraordinary opportunities – and to recommit ourselves to our mission of service.
Our mission at The Bisbee Project continues to center on our efforts to find, recognize and mentor future leaders from our local communities, many of whom choose to pursue careers in military service. In a sense, we aim to support our nation’s veterans – of the future. This year we awarded six Scholarships for Service to high school graduates from the Central Pennsylvania region demonstrating academic excellence and leadership potential and seeking careers in military or government service.
Here at The Bisbee Project we always like to draw connections, whether from the front lines of American foreign policy to the hometowns of Pennsylvania, or from the past to the present. In addition to our outreach work, we support projects involving historical preservation. This year we supported the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership ‘Living Legacy Project,’ a preservation project aiming to plant trees along a 180 mile route to memorialize the 750,000 soldiers that died during the Civil War. The 150th anniversary of that conflict began in 2011 and memorial events for major battles and events will continue into next year. We sought a way to participate in preserving the history of the Civil War, and engaging in some family genealogical research enabled us to sponsor the planting of a tree in honor of a pair of brothers, our ancestors, George and Lyman Peck.
From the small village of Jewett in the Catskill Mountains of New York, George and Lyman set out on journeys across a nation at war with itself, pausing for moments along the way to write home to their beloved sister, Kate, our great-great-grandmother (pictured here). The letters capture, in a powerful way, the vital importance of support from loved ones at home to soldiers serving far away from home. And the grief of loss on the homefront, as both George and Lyman died while serving in the Union Army.
This brings us to another crucial theme for us to reflect upon at Veterans Day: the support that veterans rely upon to perform their mission; from their families, their friends, and their communities.
During our deployments abroad, my brother and I depended upon the support of our friends, our community, and most of all, on our family. This has been a year of loss for our family, with the passing of our mother, Eleanor. In memory of the unfailing and immeasurable support we were blessed to receive, we rededicate ourselves to our mission of service in her name.
Dan and Steve Bisbee
November, 2014