Three Bellefonte High alumni from the Class of 2023 went on to serve in the United States Air Force just a few months after graduating last year.
Shortly after graduating, three close friends, Cooper Funk, Jacob Knapp, and Gage Long left their hometown to begin basic training for the US Air Force. After they spent their summer with their families and friends, they left one by one to start their military careers in Texas.
Though the boys were looking forward to meeting new people, it has helped Jacob recognize the relationships he values at home.
“It made me realize a lot of people take their family and life for granted in a small town like Bellefonte,” Jacob said.
Cooper was looking forward to being a part of the true military experience.
“I was excited to see how the discipline would shape me as a person,” he said.
Though he is very happy about his decision, the biggest thing he misses are the people.
“The support of family and friends has made the process much smoother,” Cooper said.
Over the last few months, all three Airmen graduated basic training from the Lackland Airforce base in San Antonio, Texas.
After completing basic training that included physical and mental demands, Cooper’s experience was more positive than he had anticipated.
“It is a little more relaxed than I expected, but definitely challenging when it needs to be,” Cooper said.
So far in their journey, both Cooper and Jacob are enjoying meeting new people and bonding with new friends.
“I enjoy the camaraderie and learning something new like my job networking” says Jacob.
A special part of the military experience is meeting new people, this is a big change for three friends coming out of a small town on the other side of the country.
“Here I have learned to come together and complete tasks with people of all different walks of life,” Cooper said.
For the next year, Cooper will be attending tech school where he will further his training while learning to be a Mobility Force Aviator. Following his Aviation training he will begin carrying out operations. He is looking forward to traveling the world during this time.
Jacob is currently enjoying trying things out of his comfort zone, such as his new job in networking. Jacob says he is happy with his decision but he is still looking forward to being able to come home and reunite with family, hang out with his best friends, and be back in the mountains.
Due to military restrictions, Gage was not able to be contacted within this timeframe, however, his family and friends who have been able to keep contact have said he is doing well and has now headed off to school for tech training where he will learn to be an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operator.
As Cooper, Jacob, and Gage begin their Air Force journey, they look forward to seeing each other progress in their individual fields and grow as people. Family and friends back home are incredibly proud of the hard work being put in by the trio to become successful airmen, as well as their bravery for joining the US Air Force fresh out of high school.
