Mitchell have served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard for 9 years and currently serves as the Plans Officer in the Fire Control Element of the 28th DIVARTY in Kingston, PA. His career began in Army ROTC at Penn State, where he commissioned as a Field Artillery Second Lieutenant in May 2017 and was assigned as a Company Fire Support Officer with HHC 1-109th Infantry. After completing the Field Artillery Basic Officer Leaders Course at Fort Sill, he returned to the 1-109th and later graduated Honor Grad from Joint Fires Observer School, earning ASI-L7.
He then served in Alpha Battery, 1-109th Field Artillery as Fire Direction Officer, Platoon Leader, and Executive Officer before becoming Battery Commander of Charlie Battery, 1-109th. He transitioned to his current role in August 2025. His service includes two activations to Philadelphia in 2020 for civil unrest, completion of the Field Artillery Captain Career Course in 2021, and a 2022 deployment to Lithuania for Defender Europe 22 and NATO exercise FlamingThunder.
Mitchell's awards include the ARCOM, two ARCAMS, the ARCOTR, the Thomas J. Stewart Medal, the General Thomas R. White Jr. Medal, the NDSM, two Pennsylvania Service Ribbons, and the ASR.
"The Farmer Veteran Coalition has had a profound impact on both my growth as a producer and the development of our agricultural business. Receiving the FVC Fellowship Fund was a turning point for our farm. The support allowed us to purchase equipment that significantly improved our efficiency and expanded our production capacity — investments that would have taken much longer to achieve on our own."
"I was honored to share the impact of this fellowship during my presentation at the 109th Pennsylvania Farm Show, where I highlighted how FVC’s support strengthened our operations and contributed to our long‑term success. The ability to market our maple products under theHomegrown By Heroes label has also been incredibly valuable, helping us proudly represent our veteran heritage and connect with customers who want to support veteran‑owned farms."
Beyond the financial support and branding, FVC has given Mitchell a deeper sense of purpose and community within agriculture. FVC's mission inspires him to advocate for other veterans entering the field, share the opportunities available through FVC, and help fellow service members find the same support that has been so meaningful to his farm and family.
Freeman Family Farm, LLC, is a veteran‑owned agricultural business specializing in maple syrup production and beef cattle. Their operation centers around a dedicated sugarhouse on their property, where they produce high‑quality Pennsylvania maple syrup each year. For the 2026 season, they have expanded to 700 taps and during maple syrup season, work daily to maximize both yield and product quality. In 2024, they strengthened the operation by upgrading to a larger, more efficient evaporator through the FVC Fellowship Fund, enhancing their production capabilities.
In addition to maple, they began raising beef cattle in 2024. To prepare for this expansion, they enclosed approximately 6 acres of pasture with high‑tensile fencing in 2023, establishing a strong foundation for their herd. They currently purchase all of their hay and feed as they continue developing this side of the farm.
Freeman Family Farm remains committed to producing premium maple syrup, responsibly raising livestock, and steadily building a diversified, sustainable agricultural operation rooted in their family’s values and veteran heritage.
"My path into agriculture is rooted in family and tradition. I am the youngest of three boys, and in 2001 my dad decided to revive a tradition started by my great‑grandparents, who made maple syrup on our farm over a century ago. We began with just 100 taps, a tarp for shelter, and a small evaporator — but the time we spent together in the sugarbush quickly became something we all loved. Even as I built my military career, maple season remained a grounding force and a reminder of where I came from."
"When my dad passed away unexpectedly in 2021, my brothers and I felt a strong responsibility to continue what he started. Keeping the farm going became another form of service — this time to our family, our land, and its legacy. Since then, we’ve expanded our operation with a larger sugarhouse, a 250‑gallon‑per‑hour RO system, and a 2.5' x 8' evaporator with a steam‑away. Today, with 750 taps and growing, we’re carrying forward a tradition that spans generations. Farming allows me to serve in a different way — by honoring my dad, strengthening our community, and preserving a family legacy that means more to me than anything else."
For Mitchell, farming is a continuation of his oath to serve — now to land, family, and community. FFA, ROTC, and the Pennsylvania Army National Guard taught him to lead from the front, plan deliberately, and execute under pressure. Those habits show up every day on the farm: disciplined schedules for tapping and boiling, safety checks before big pushes, and after‑action reviews to improve crew flow, yields, and equipment readiness.
Service also means taking care of people. As a lender for Farm Credit and mentor, he uses Army principles to coach producers — listening first, collaborating, and building teams that earn trust. At home, losing his father deepened his responsibility to steward the woods, care for the cattle, and educate neighbors through open houses. Their maple syrup carries the Homegrown By Heroes label because they are proud to serve in and beyond the uniform.
"The Farmer Veteran Coalition’s mission mirrors my own. Their Fellowship Fund equipped us to produce more efficiently, so we can feed more families and model resilience. To me, being an American farmer means feeding your community, conserving what you’ve been given, and leaving every field — and person — better than you found them."
