FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – The Pennsylvania National Guard and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs hosted an open house here for members of the public June 6, 2026.
The event began with an opening ceremony featuring remarks from U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Terrence L. Koudelka, deputy adjutant general-Air, Pennsylvania National Guard.
“This installation is more than a military post. It is the home of the Pennsylvania National Guard headquarters and the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs,” Koudelka said. “Every day, Soldiers, Airmen, civilians and veterans work here in service to the commonwealth and our nation. None of that would be possible without the support of this community.
“We are incredibly grateful for the encouragement and partnership we receive from our surrounding communities. You support our service members, their families and the important missions carried out here every day,” Koudelka added.
The Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade demonstrated UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter aerial medical evacuations and CH-47 aerial sling-load operations
Musicians from the 28th Infantry Division Band provided entertainment through the day, while Miss Pennsylvania Victoria Vespico made an appearance, offering photos and autographs to visitors.
“This open house is our way of opening our doors and saying thank you to the public,” said Col. Kevin D. Potts, garrison commander of Fort Indiantown Gap. “On behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Soldiers and Airmen of the Pennsylvania National Guard, welcome. Our readiness relies on the strong bond we share with this community, and we are incredibly grateful for your continued partnership.”
Visitors also had the opportunity get close and personal with a wide variety of Army and Air Force equipment, weapons and vehicles including, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and a CH-47 Chinook helicopter from the 28th ECAB; a M109 Paladin self-propelled Howitzer and M777 Howitzer from the 166th Regiment – Regional Training Institute; Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle and Buffalo Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle from the Unit Training Equipment Site; Infantry Squad Vehicle from the 56th Mobile Brigade Combat Team and a M1151 HMMWV from the 28th ECAB.
“It’s been very fun interacting with people from the community,” said Sgt. Maria Perez, a geospatial analyst with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 56th Mobile Brigade Combat Team. “They’ve been looking at our vehicles and are very interested in what we do. It helps them understand what we do.”
The day’s activities culminated with an infantry squad maneuver demonstration from the 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment that showed off the high level of expertise and professionalism with which all Guardsmen are expected to perform their basic Soldier skills.
“I really thought it was neat watching them, move the cannon from one end to the airfield to the other,” said Jackie Griggs who traveled from Shippensburg, Pa., to bring her nieces and nephews out to enjoy the open house. “I like to take them to military events so they can enjoy the event.”
For fiscal year 2025, which ended on Sept. 30, 2025, Fort Indiantown Gap hosted 132,200 personnel for 985,514 man-days of training, making it the busiest National Guard training center.
Fort Indiantown Gap is the primary training site for the Pennsylvania National Guard and regularly hosts personnel from all branches of the military, both active-duty and reserve-component, as well as personnel from foreign militaries, law enforcement agencies and other local, state and federal agencies.
The installation is also home to several schools, including the Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site, the 166th Regiment – Regional Training Institute, the Regional Equipment Operators Training Site, the Lightning Force Academy, the Northeast Counter Drug Training Center and the Keystone State ChalleNGe Academy.