Canton Police Sgt. Mark Penney is Selected as Veteran of the Month

State Sen. Kevin Witkos (R-8) named Mark J. Penney the “Veteran of the Month” for July. 

Master Sgt. Penney, who is currently a patrol sergeant with the Canton Police Department, is a decorated veteran who served with the military for 28 years.

“Mark Penney is the type of person that is always giving of himself,” Witkos said. “From the day he enlisted to the present day, Penney has constantly been serving his country and protecting his fellow citizens. While he has officially retired from the military, he has never stopped helping and looking out for others.”

Witkos’s “Veteran of the Month” program features the stories of local veterans each month through text and video.

Penney first enlisted in the United States Air Force in January 1984 as a Tactical Air Command and Control Specialist. After basic military training and technical school, Penney was assigned to serve at Warner Barracks in Bamberg, Germany during the Cold War.

Once he completed his first enlistment in the Air Force, Penney then enlisted in the Army Reserve as a Signal Intelligence Specialist. In October 1989, he applied for a position with the 103rd Security Police Squadron at Bradley Air National Guard Base, where he served for seven years as an Active Guard/Reservist. During this time, Penney was one of the first active Guard Reservists Security Police members assigned to Guard A-10s and one of the first Distant Learning Instructors for the Non-Commissioned Officer Academy.

During his time in the reserves, Penney was called on to help the victims of Hurricane Andrew in Florida in 1992 and Hurricane Erin in Mississippi in 1995. Penney also deployed on numerous temporary duty assignments with the unit, serving in active duty during Desert Storm and during Operation Enduring Freedom at Al Dhafra Air Force Base in the United Arab Emirates.

In the aftermath of September 11, Penney also provided homeland defense at Bradley Air National Guard Base as part of Operation Noble Eagle.

Over his many years in service, Penney held positions as both Formal Schools Manager and Assistant Retention Office Manager. He also was a Personnel Specialist and appointed a First Sergeant for the 103rd Security Forces Squadron in October 2008.

During his career, Penney has received numerous awards and decorations, including the Life Saving Medal, the Medal of Merit, and the Special Achievement and Commendation award.  He was also named Connecticut’s “First Sergeant of the Year” in 2010, an esteemed honor.

Penney retired from the military on Dec. 12, 2012. Penney’s full story and a video interview can be found on senatorwitkos.com and at the following direct link: http://ctsenaterepublicans.com/2014/07/veteran-of-the-month-mark-j-penney/.

Each Veteran of the Month story highlights the veteran’s unique experiences and acts of service. To nominate a local veteran to be a “Veteran of the Month” please contact Katie Kenneally at Katie.Kenneally@cga.ct.gov or (860)-240-8862.