Before coming to Penn College, Diego served in the Army National Guard as an aircraft power plant repair technician. Pursuing his love of flight, he jumped at the opportunity to apply his military benefits towards a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology. While at Penn College, Diego expanded his technical skill set in hands-on labs and honed leadership skills through the Army ROTC. Since graduation, Diego earned his pilot’s license and the title of Captain. Today he leads training operations and serves as a Pilot in Command for his aircraft—a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter.
My military experience before attending Penn College started in 2011 at Fort Indiantown Gap when I was assigned to Co. B 628th Aviation Support Battalion as a junior Enlisted Soldier in the rank of Private First Class as an aircraft power plant repairer.
My most memorable experience with the National Guard was my deployment to the Middle East from the summer of 2020 to the summer of 2021, when I was afforded the opportunity to serve as the Executive Officer for Co. B 628th ASB alongside some of the same soldiers I started my military career with. Except for the fact that I returned in the rank of Captain and a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot. Just seeing the growth and accomplishment of fellow service members who started around the same time I did, from a junior Enlisted Soldier to some being senior Enlisted Soldiers and Warrant Officer Leaders was surreal.
My biggest military accomplishment thus far is attaining Pilot in Command in my assigned aircraft. As an officer in the U.S. Army, every advance in rank comes with additional responsibility. Most will require you to obtain the next level of professional military education or additional skill identifier. To put this into perspective, let us assume graduating from flight training would be considered an aviation officer’s associate's degree. Then becoming a Pilot in Command would be the equivalent to a bachelor's degree, and a graduate-level professional military education in that field would be an Instructor Pilot or Maintenance Test Pilot.
I discovered Penn College through my love of aviation maintenance. Shortly after completing my Army Advance Individual Training in aviation maintenance, I started researching schools that provided a bachelor’s degree in aviation, and Penn College was the perfect match.
The veterans and military resource center helped me with my tuition assistance during my first semester. Fortunately for me, I was awarded an ROTC scholarship from that point forward.
Yes! There is a whole network of veterans at Penn College. I had no problems making friends while I was at Penn College, but it is 100% easier to trust a veteran you just met within 24 hours than it is to trust a civilian you have been acquainted with for over a week. I knew whenever I walked into the Veterans Affairs office, they had my best interest in mind, and fortunately, they met that expectation every time.
Penn College is proud to be named a 2021-22 Military Friendly School for true commitment to military students by dedicating resources and services to ensure classroom and postgraduation success, including:
"The fact that there is a veterans and military resource center located on campus should speak volumes about the commitment and support that Penn College has pledged to the military community."
Diego Wilson
Aviation Maintenance Technology
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