HOUTZDALE John A. Bacher III spoke to Moshannon Valley students on Oct. 17 as part of the Moshannon Valley Community Education Foundation’s Alumni Speaker Series.
Bacher is a 1978 graduate of Moshannon Valley and has also graduated from Forbes Health System, Pittsburgh; the Paramedic Institute, the Pennsylvania State Police Academy; and the Lock Haven University with Associate of Science degrees in health care profession and in nursing.
In 2010, he retired from the Pennsylvania State Police with an honorable discharge and has worked in Altoona Hospital, Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit; Center for Emergency Medicine; STAT MedEvac, flight nurse; Clearfield County Deputy Coroner; Clearfield Hospital House supervisor and emergency department nurse and Moshannon Valley Emergency Medical Service.
He has also been involved in four presidential protection details and completed numerous certifications. He’s received numerous awards, including commendations and ribbons for response to Flight 93, as well as to the Camp Hill Prison Riot for the Pennsylvania State Police.
Bacher holds licenses as a Pennsylvania Registered Nurse, Ohio Registered Nurse, FAA Commercial Airplane Pilot’s License with Instrument Rating and FAA Commercial Helicopter Pilot’s License.
Bacher spoke of his many experiences as in the Pennsylvania State Police and as a nurse. He mentioned about taking the test for the state police academy eight times and did not reach the 97th percentile needed to pass. Just when he was ready to give up, his neighbors encouraged him to keep on trying. He heeded their advice and on the ninth try passed with flying colors.
His message to the students at the Moshannon Valley Junior-Senior High School was to ‘work hard and stay out of trouble. There is nothing beyond your reach.”
The foundation’s next speaker will be Daniel T. Hansel, Information Technology consultant, for the Schreyer Honor’s College at Penn State, State College.
