Posted

107_0678

 

This month, we are celebrating Andy Gilliand with our November Sub Spotlight! Andy is a military veteran who eventually earned the rank of Major. Some other jobs he held in the Army were Signal Corp as an enlisted rank at Fort Bragg and Armor Officer after Officer Candidate School. He has been stationed at Fort Riley, KS; Camp Garry Owen, Korea; Fort Drum, New York; and has traveled to Honduras, Korea, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.

One of Andy’s favorite things has been Jump Status at For Bragg. He also enjoyed being stationed at Fort Irwin, California. He loved walking in the desert in the evening and the peace and quiet of the isolated post. Some of the hardest things Andy has experienced while being in the military has been being away form his family and moving his family form one post to the next. Included in that are packing, unpacking, cleaning the military housing to pass inspection to get released, the long hours, the drive, and reestablishing a new residence every two to three years. One thing he will not ever forget is “the soldier we lost.”

dsc00643

 

When asked what advice he would give someone who was thinking about joining the military, Andy says, “Do your homework. Ask yourself, ‘why are you joining the military’ and ‘what would you like to get out of it.’ Talk to both active duty and retired military members about their experience before you make your final decision. And know that you will deploy.”

Something that Andy wished others knew about being in the military is “the true extent of the sacrifice you and your family make on a daily basis. It’s much more than just being apart while being deployed.”

Andy has been a substitute teacher for two years in the Kansas City, KS and Fort Leavenworth districts. He likes subbing for all grade levels because each has their own unique challenges and rewards. He decided to start substitute teaching to see if teaching was something he wanted to pursue. Andy is currently attending classes to get his teaching license. Thank you Andy for the time you have served our country and the investment and sacrifices you have made. MHED appreciated all that you do for our schools and for being a great role model for all the students who you work with.