Stories about following family traditions seem to never end. It’s not uncommon for a son or daughter to continue in the profession of their parents.

That’s exactly what happened when Army brat Brig. Gen. Maria Biank followed the footsteps of her father, retired Army Col. Samuel A. Biank Jr. becoming a national leader in the U.S. military.

Samuel Biank and his wife, the former Patricia Sahr, are both 1959 graduates of the Nesquehoning High School.

Samuel Biank was the starting quarterback during his senior year; a high school orator for three years; and a member of the National Honor Society, before embarking on his career by attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.

He’ll also tell you from his younger days in Nesquehoning, he was an altar boy for nine years at the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, New Columbus, Nesquehoning.

At West Point, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree, before moving on to advanced educational studies that include a Master of Arts Degree in counseling services from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts degree in American history from the State University of New York, College at Buffalo. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army War College, where he concentrated in international studies.

Biank was commissioned in the Field Artillery branch and served over 29 years in the U.S. Army. He served in various stateside as well as overseas assignments, including in Europe and Vietnam. In Vietnam, he was a battalion fire direction officer and a firing battery commander. He was the Professor of Military Science at Canisius College. He served on the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command staff and in the Pentagon in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He completed his Army career as a brigade commander of the 1st Brigade, First ROTC Region, U.S. Army ROTC Cadet Command.

After retiring from the Army, Biank taught history for Saint Leo University for 23 years and also taught at Thomas Nelson Community College for 10 years. In addition to survey courses in American history, western civilization and the global perspective, he taught special topic courses in the history of World War II, the Vietnam War and African-American history.

He and his wife live in Williamsburg, Virginia. They recently celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary. Besides Maria, they have a daughter Tanya, who is a journalist and author of “Army Wives” and “Undaunted: The Real Story of America’s Servicewoman in Today’s Military.” They have three grandchildren, Jack and Violet Marti and Julia Leiker.