From Principal to Patriot: The Honor of Deploying Forward with Former Students

There are moments in life that remind you why you answered the call to serve. Not just in the military, but in leadership, in education, and in community.

For me that moment was the realization that I wasn’t just deploying as a Soldier, I was deploying withSoldiers who were once students in my high school hallways.

As a high school principal, nothing prepares you for the deep pride of seeing young men and women you once watched walk to class now walking into the fight beside you. The same kids who sat in desks, played Friday night football, or needed a reminder to tuck in their shirts are now warriors. Not just in uniform but in discipline, courage, and service.

To deploy forward with them is an honor few experience. I’ve watched them transform l, not just academically or socially, but now as leaders, as teammates, as professionals.

I knew them when they were learning how to navigate adolescence. Now, I see them navigating complex missions with maturity, grit, and grace under pressure.

There’s a sacred kind of full circle in this journey.

To have once been responsible for shaping their minds and character in the classroom, and now to share in their mission and defend our nation shoulder to shoulder, is a privilege beyond words.

It’s a reminder that the seeds we sow in education bear fruit not just in test scores or diplomas, but in the kind of citizens and Soldiers our country needs.

There’s also a powerful accountability that comes with it.

They’re watching me, just as I once watched over them. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Because leadership, whether in a school or on the battlefield, is about showing up, staying steady, and modeling service with integrity.

To my fellow Soldiers who were once my students, you make me PROUD. Every step you take in this deployment is a testament to your growth, your resilience, and your heart. And I count it one of the greatest honors of my life to serve beside you.

Together, we are writing a new chapter, not as teacher and student, but as brothers and sisters in arms. And it’s a story I’ll carry with pride for the rest of my life.