When the NASCAR Cup Series visits Pennsylvania’s Pocono Raceway in June for The Great American Getaway 400 Presented by VISITPA.COM, the race itself won’t be the only marquee attraction.

Before the green flag waves on Sunday, June 22, fans at the “Tricky Triangle” are invited to spend time at Veterans Village – a two-to-three-acre area just outside the race track within Pocono Raceway’s Fan Fair where approximately 45 veteran-serving organizations will be represented.

Current and former members of the U.S. military along with high-flying national assets, including an array of sophisticated military equipment and gear, will be on hand to bolster recruitment efforts for each branch of the Armed Forces.

A breakfast and a special ceremony for Gold Star families are among the headline events scheduled at Veterans Village during race weekend.

Last year, 240 Gold Star families attended the breakfast and around 30 veterans’ organizations had a presence at Veterans Village throughout the weekend.

The event has grown every year since its 2022 inception, which was the brainchild of retired Sergeant Major Kevin Bittenbender, the director of military affairs at Pocono Raceway.

Bittenbender retired from the Army in 2018 after 34 years of service that included an 18-month deployment in Afghanistan that stretched from 2006-2008. Despite health challenges from exposure to burn pits resulting in the amputation of his left leg, his passion for outdoor activities remains unabated. He has embraced adaptive sports, competing at the paralympic level in Skeleton and Bobsled, and participated in marathons nationwide. Alongside personal pursuits, he mentors fellow amputees at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

In December 2022, Kevin was officially matched with his service dog from America’s VetDogs named Kirby, a familiar furry face at Pocono Raceway who will be, as always, by Bittenbender’s side at Veterans Village. Trained as both a PTSD and mobility service dog, Kirby’s journey to Bittenbender was sponsored by the NFL’s Houston Texans and their corporate partner, Kroger, as part of America’s VetDogs Puppy With a Purpose program. The experience of growing up in an NFL stadium and attending games and community events, combined with the expert training provided by America’s VetDogs, helped Kirby become a calm and confident service dog. Kirby is also well-known for this title of “MVP” — Most Valuable Pup — at the 2022 Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl.

The 2025 edition of Veterans Village promises to be bigger and better than ever. 

“This year, we’ll have not just our national assets but the Army Rock band playing, as well as the Navy Rock band,” Bittenbender said. “We’ll have some aerial aesthetic displays. We had two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters on display last year amongst other wheeled assets. This year, we expect the same if not more, which will aid with our recruiting efforts for the National Guard and active-duty components. Potential recruits can talk with soldiers and sailors and Marines about what they do, and we’ll have some demonstrations with the equipment on display.”

Coming out to Veterans Village during the Pocono NASCAR weekend is a must for anyone interested in learning more about a specialized role in the military.

“It provides an avenue if someone is looking to get into, let’s say, the medical side of the house,” Bittenbender said. “We’ll have a bunch of medics, doctors and nurses, as well as aviators, if folks are looking to get into the aviation aspect of it. Last year, we had part of a Navy Seal team, and we’ll have some Special Operators from the Special Operations side of the house there, as well, to talk about what they do and some of the skills they’ve learned and applied in the military.”

Bittenbender considers outreach to veterans and their families a major part of his life’s work, and he couldn’t be more thankful that Pocono Raceway has afforded him the opportunity to carry out his mission.

“The administration at Pocono gives me flexibility and says, ‘Here’s the football. Run with it,” Bittenbender said. “And it really takes me back to the time when I was in the military – I always tried to put myself outside of my comfort zone, and Pocono definitely allows me to do so. With that, it helps me be a better person but also give back to my community – my veterans community and my Gold Star community – to try to do well for them and live a life worthy of the sacrifice of the guys that I lost in Afghanistan.

“I’m able to do this in their memory. Anything and everything that I do, I do in their memory and in honor of them.”

Bittenbender approaches his job at Pocono Raceway with a simple philosophy that gives it special meaning.

“Any good recipe has ingredients, and if you’re missing an ingredient, the recipe doesn’t come out as planned. As director of military affairs at Pocono, my ingredients are three ‘Ps,’ an ‘A’ and a ‘C,’” Bittenbender said. “The three ‘Ps’ are having a purpose, a passion and being a part of something bigger than myself. Doing this Veterans Village and having a Gold Star breakfast applies to all those ingredients.

“The ‘A’ is for attitude. I can’t have a poor attitude going to a NASCAR race, nor being involved with NASCAR. It just makes me feel good about what I do, especially when I have other veterans coming up to me and saying how much they’ve enjoyed spending the time there with their families and making a memory for themselves.

“The ‘C’ is comfort zone. I’ve always tried to put myself outside of the comfort zone area. You can’t grow spiritually, mentally or physically without putting yourself outside of that comfort zone.”