40% of This Gettysburg Community Has Military or Government Ties. Here’s Why.

There’s a 55-and-older active adult community in Gettysburg, PA, that has proven to be an attractive place to settle for veterans, retired federal workers and others with military or government backgrounds.

Just a two-hour drive from Washington, DC, and only ten minutes from historic Gettysburg, Amblebrook at Gettysburg is said to have a strong culture of community, safety and philanthropy that’s driven by its staff, its location and its unique mix of residents.

“It’s just a happenstance that a significant part of the resident community has military and government experience,” Sara Carbonell, marketing director for Amblebrook at Gettysburg, told Military.com. “Our proximity to Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia means we draw residents from military and government backgrounds because we’re not too far from where they’ve spent years living and working.”

Gettysburg is known for the Gettysburg National Battlefield, the historic site that became a turning point in the Civil War known as the Battle of Gettysburg. It’s now part of Gettysburg National Military Park, which includes the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center, as well as Gettysburg National Cemetery, where a memorial marks the site of Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Gettysburg Address.

The Gettysburg battlefield is a major draw because it’s a tourist attraction that caters to history buffs and those with military backgrounds. So when visitors find out there’s an active adult community nearby, they become interested.

Amblebrook opened in 2020 and boasts a residential population of 1,400, with approximately 40% having military or government ties. The enclave offers residents of all backgrounds 54,000 square feet of resort-style amenities such as a clubhouse, fitness center, and an on-site market and café in a farm-to-table community.

Amblebrook residents have formed more than 50 resident-run clubs, many of which organize volunteer and fundraising efforts that raise thousands of dollars for the Gettysburg community.

On the grounds, they’re just as active, attending lectures and community events, socializing and brainstorming on how they can make their new home a better place to live.

“They’ve added so much. Not only are they focused on philanthropy and the community, such as our ‘Toys for Tots’ campaign,” Carbonell said. “But they’re also really focused on supporting each other as veterans or retired government workers, or helping active-duty military families outside our community. It’s been remarkable to see.”

A sampling of the resident population includes a former Department of Defense employee who runs a club that shares TED Talks and leads discussions about the topic each week. Another resident runs a History Club for the many history buffs in the community. There’s also a rock band formed by residents who regularly perform on campus, while other clubs and interest groups include book clubs, astronomy, cooking, aerobics, pickleball, pottery and quilting.

Residents With Government Backgrounds Share Common Bonds

Through it all, there are military connections everywhere. Community organizers said their training gives them specialized skills, including diplomacy, discipline, and a “can-do” attitude that bonds them to each other.

“We have a shared experience of being veterans, regardless of when and where we served,” Bob Lohr, an Amblebrook resident and Army veteran, said in a statement shared with Military.com. “Any time you put a bunch of veterans together, you get this unspoken bond and camaraderie that’s astounding. We have an automatic connection because of our past.”

But that connection is not isolated. Residents put their skills and service-oriented backgrounds to use for the larger Gettysburg community, whether it’s by volunteering or fundraising.

“No one’s doing this for a career or credit,” Navy veteran and Amblebrook resident Sheri Stein said in a statement. “There’s no ego, just people pitching in because they want to have fun or help.”

The benefits can be life-affirming, as residents take vacations together, stay active and look out for each other with a shared goal of living longer, healthier lives.

“We’ve got about 700 homes here, and a wide variety of life experiences. But there’s a can‑do attitude that’s consistent across the community,” Amblebrook resident and Army veteran Dave LaCroix said in a statement. “If someone wants to start a club or meet a need, people step up. I’ve never seen anything like it.”