Editor’s note: This is the first story in a four-part feature in Penn State Today in honor of Military Appreciation Week.
UNIVERSITY, Pa. — Penn State’s 12th annual Military Appreciation Week honors all active and veteran service members, and this year’s event will highlight military families with members who serve or have served in the U.S. armed forces.
Military Appreciation Week features a series of events beginning Nov. 3 and concludes at the Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 10. Throughout the year leading up to Military Appreciation Week, Penn State community members are invited to submit “Profiles of Service.” These profiles are all available online at militaryappreciation.psu.edu.
This year, Penn State community members also were asked to share their military family stories. Below, a Penn State alumnus and his family share their story for Military Appreciation Week.
Rear Adm. Stephen Tedford, program executive officer for unmanned aviation and strike weapons
Rear Adm. Stephen Tedford has been commissioned in the U.S. Navy for almost 33 years. Tedford joined the military hoping to become a pilot, and he became a designated naval aviator in 1993 after graduating from Penn State with his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering in 1991. Tedford is currently a program executive officer for unmanned aviation and strike weapons and has accumulated more than 3,100 flight hours in 40 different aircraft.
When asked about his favorite part of his service, Tedford said, “Being a part of something greater than myself and working as a team to accomplish goals. Flying combat missions in 2003 at the age of 35 with the responsibility to accomplish the mission and bring my entire crew home safely are some of my proudest memories.”
Tedford met his wife, Kathryn, while a lieutenant in the Navy, and they have been together for 23 years. Kathryn and Stephen have two daughters, Katelyn and Caroline, both of whom also are part of the Penn State family. Katelyn graduated from the University this past May with her bachelor’s degree in forensic science, and Caroline is currently a junior in the nursing program at University Park.
The Tedfords have remained close throughout the years. Kathryn described their life as busy, but flexible, with plenty of opportunities to spend quality time together as a family. She said it felt like being a single mom at times when Stephen was deployed, but it made the time they spent together even more worthwhile.
“We keep in touch with our girls often, and while I know this isn’t the norm with college kids, I directly attribute it to being a military family. We all value our time together very much,” Kathryn said when asked what she liked best about being in a military family.
Frequent moves are not uncommon for military families, and both sisters said they have enjoyed the sense of community no matter where they've lived.
“Every time we’ve moved, there’s been other families who are there to help and support each other,” Caroline said.
When asked about memorable experiences because of their father's service, Katelyn said she remembers when her dad went on deployment when she was young and she wore his military cover practically every day while he was gone. She also recalled the family’s time stationed in Hawaii when their father recorded himself reading stories for Katelyn to watch during his deployment to the Persian Gulf.
Caroline has the fond memory of surprising her dad at one of his change-of-command ceremonies in 2018. She had the honor of singing the National Anthem at the beginning of the ceremony and causing many audience members to cry, including her father. Caroline loved being able to support her father’s career in that way.
When the Tedford family was asked if they had any advice for families, they all expressed how important it was to lean on your family for support.
“My advice is to stay close with your family emotionally,” Caroline said. “They are your rock and the only stability you have when moving around. So, hold onto it.”
Military Appreciation at Penn State
Penn State has a long-standing and proud tradition of serving the men and women of our military through education benefits, resources, support and more. Penn State students, faculty, staff and alumni with military connections can submit a profile of service for the opportunity to be featured on the University’s Military Appreciation website and other materials. Visit militaryappreciation.psu.edu to learn more.