BSNC descendant Matthew Piscoya is a First Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and is currently stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas at Marine Aviation Training Support Group 22. He has been training on the T-6B Texan II, and T-44C Pegasus aircraft in the multi-engine, fixed wing program in perpetration to fly the KC-130J Super Hercules. Prior to this, Piscoya graduated from Officer Candidate School, The Basic School, and Primary Flight Training. Additionally, he received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Norwich University, in Northfield, Vermont.
Piscoya was born in Ketchikan but grew up in Fairbanks with his five siblings: Daniel, Nicholas, Molly, Ethan, and Samantha. He is the son of Lawrence and Bridget Piscoya. In 2021, he married his wife Anastasia and they’ve had the joy of raising their one-year-old daughter, Elenor.
What inspired you to pursue your career? What schooling, skills and experiences did you need or were helpful?
I was inspired in high school to join the Marine Corps as an officer because of the respect I had developed for the Marine Corps growing up. The Marines I knew always looked sharp, stood up straight, and displayed an unyielding determination. I always wanted to set myself up for the most challenging and respectable positions available and they afforded that opportunity to me. The implicit promise they make is that, through discipline and spirit, regardless of technical expertise, you can build a successful career. That is a sentiment that can be invaluable to anyone looking to set themselves up for something greater. Once I started training to be an officer, I was given the opportunity to apply for an aviation contract to be a pilot. It wasn’t something that was on my radar before, but I saw it as another way that I would be able to test myself.
What were barriers you faced? What resources did you use to pursue your degree?
For many, the most significant barrier to getting a college degree is being able to pay for tuition. Fortunately, I qualified for and was awarded a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship that paid for my tuition, room and board. The same scholarship is available to anyone who can demonstrate good academic and physical fitness. While competitive, the scholarship is an incredible opportunity to attend a school that would not be financially attainable otherwise. It can be a direct benefit of good grades in difficult classes in high school.
What advice do you have for young people?
Another barrier I faced was needing to pass the academic rigors of flight school to become a pilot. The lesson I learned from this is the same lesson that the Marine Corps taught me in Officer Candidate School and The Basic School and the same lesson that applies to anyone working to start their career. If you show that you have dedicated yourself to mastering every aspect of the position you want to fill, your peers and seniors will work tirelessly to help you succeed, even if you struggle with the technical skills. You don’t have to focus on scores. If you work incredibly hard to be the best in any field, the scores will follow.