Pennsylvania State Troopers Association

FRIEDENS — While the nation’s eyes are focused on Washington’s debt crisis, Gov. Tom Corbett turned his attention Wednesday to a group of disciplined Somerset County youth.
Corbett toured the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory in Friedens and spoke with kids, ages 11-13, participating in the state police’s Camp Cadet Program. The camp introduces youth to police-academy-style training while teaching discipline, self-esteem and teamwork.
“Basic training prepares you for just about anything,” Corbett, who served 14 years in the Army National Guard, said to the campers. “You do things that you never thought you had in you.”
After landing in a helicopter on the armory’s grounds, the governor spent more than an hour touring the facility and meeting with National Guardsmen before speaking with the campers.
“I didn’t have opportunities like this when I was young,” he said. “(The camp) provides the kids with an experience other than something they see on television or on the computer — the ability to put their hands on these weapons; the ability to get a taste of what basic training might be like.”
The governor’s visit came six days before the federal government’s Aug. 2 deadline for raising the debt ceiling. Corbett spoke with media about the debt crisis.
“We’re watching it very carefully. I don’t think anybody can say with any certainty what the effect would be if there isn’t an agreement reached,” he said. The governor added that his office has been in touch with legislators.
“We have no control over what the federal government’s going to do. We’re in a position where we’re going to have to sit and wait and see what they do,” he said. “I certainly hope they set priorities of spending. One of the things we’d have to look at is how it affects the money that the state receives.”
Corbett briefly shared his feelings about spending with campers.
“The governor has to make a lot of tough decisions. I had to make tough decisions about the budget,” he said. “I’m sure your parents don’t let you spend more money than your allowance.”