Serving in the U.S. armed forces might be the last thing you’d expect a teacher to have done prior to committing their life to educating students. But for music teacher Chad Steffey and history teacher Herbert Eggert, this is exactly what they did.
The armed forces refer to the six service branches of the military: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. Each branch has their own unique mission, typically focusing on specific domains, like land, air, sea, etc.
“[The branches] all have their own personalities and their own particular missions, but they all have a commonality among them,” Steffey said.
Steffey served in the Air Force for 20 years, starting as a member of one of the regional bands as well as the crew chief for the loading crew. Following this, he went to officer training school, got a commission, and was assigned as a band officer, leading different bands and later commanding the band of the Air Force Reserve in Georgia. Steffey’s last assignment was at the Pentagon where he was a public affairs officer and did media relations.
“Well, there were many varied experiences [while serving],” Steffey said. “I would do it all over again, is my bottom line. I loved it, I would do it again, but I’m glad to be retired and [teaching] now.”
His journey as a teacher began “accidentally,” as he was originally recruited to be a long-term substitute for a choral teacher while studying for his doctoral degree at GMU. Steffey taught for a single semester, and he was later recruited again for a permanent position as the choral teacher. Throughout his teaching career, he has implemented a lot of his skills and perspectives that he acquired in the Air Force.
“I think I certainly carry over a lot of the mindset of planning ahead, being on time, holding yourself and others accountable, staying organized, and a sense of camaraderie and community,” Steffey said. “The stronger that is, the better we perform, just like a mission. I guess I view our concert cycles and our performances like missions, and I still think the way that I did in the Air Force.”
Similarly, Eggert’s military experience has also impacted the way he teaches others and views his job.
Eggert began his 27-year-long journey in the Coast Guard at the United States Coast Guard Academy, partially because he wanted to play football but also because he deeply respected the Coast Guard’s mission of law-enforcement and saving lives. He ultimately really enjoyed being able to travel often and explore many places, and simply being on ships made his experience even more worthwhile. Eggert was able to learn new skills and improve them quickly, gaining many abilities such as working well under pressure.
“I miss being on the water quite a bit, and I miss the excitement, but otherwise, I really enjoy what I’m doing now, too,” Eggert said.
A big part of the operations he had to do in the Coast Guard was mentoring others, and he always enjoyed witnessing their growth and successes. He found this aspect of the job to also be present within teaching, as teachers play big roles in helping their students grow into better people.
“As you go higher in the Coast Guard, you have more leadership positions, and your job is to develop people. That’s exactly what we do here.” Eggert said.
Because of his experience with working with adults, Eggert tends to treat his students like he would treat adults. Giving students adult-like respect has proven to be very effective within the classroom.
For both Steffey and Eggert, serving in the armed forces has been more than worth it, as the skills they acquired and the memories they made from it have truly proven to be valuable. Their experience has influenced their mindsets, taught them many priceless lessons, and will continue to make a positive impact on them as people as well as teachers.
