Canon McMillan Student Devotes His Summer to Military Service

Jeremy Soyring, a Cadet Senior Airman with Civil Air Patrol’s Washington Squadron 601, will be spending the summer before his senior year a bit differently than his fellow Canon-McMillan High School students.  

He will be going to Fort Jackson, NC for 10 weeks of basic training on June 17 as Private 1st Class with the US Army Reserves as part of its early enlistment program.

"I have always had an interest in the military … it is a great way to serve my country and grow more. On my 17th birthday, the first day I was eligible, I signed up for the US Army Reserve early enlistment program,” Soyring said.  

He also added that volunteering with Civil Air Patrol (CAP) helped to prepare him for military service.  

“My Civil Air Patrol training, especially basic encampment, not only furthered my interest in serving but also better prepared me for basic training.”

Since Jan. 2012, Soyring has been a member of the Washington County unit of Civil Air Patrol (CAP), an all-volunteer, civilian auxiliary of the US Air Force, an experience which has given him a chance to learn more about both community and military service. Nationwide, CAP has more than 61,000 members that train and participate in search and rescue, emergency services, aerospace education and the organization’s youth programs.

Capt. Edward Silassy of Canonsburg, commander of Washington Squadron 601, said that Soyring’s participation in CAP will help him face challenges ahead.

“PVT 1st Class Soyring is an outstanding cadet," Silassy said. "I have no doubt, given his dedication to CAP and its missions, that he will be a very successful and valuable part of our country’s military.  It has been a privilege to watch him grow into the impressive young man he is today.”

During Basic Training, Soyring will be working as a wheeled-vehicle mechanic. He will return home to complete his senior year and then return to military service with the US Army Reserves.

The Washington County unit of CAP meets every Wednesday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. at the National Guard Armory in Washington, next to the Washington County Airport.  For more information, visit Squadron 601’s website at or on Facebook at CAP Washington Composite Squadron 601.

Story contributed by Lt. Peggy Secunda, public affairs officer, Washington Squadron 601