Guard Mentors Offer Fresh Perspective

Program Connects Students With Soldiers

By Scott J. Farrell

When Jim Lyonwas looking for an experienced accountant to talk to his high school class, he knew where to turn: the Army National Guard’s Partners in Education program. Lyon heard about the program’s career mentor database from another educator and decided to test it out. Just a few days later, Major Kurt Miller was speaking at Brookfield High School, where Lyon is the team leader of applied education.

Miller has more than 20 years of professional experience in accounting. He talked to the class about getting his undergraduate degree in accounting from Western Connecticut State University and his master’s in taxation from the University of New Haven—with tuition support from the Army National Guard. He also shared his experience of getting licensed as a certified public accountant, or CPA.

“It gives the students a different perspective,” Miller said. “And if they’re thinking about joining the military, the career mentor program gives them someone to talk to.” Especially in communities where few people join the military, career mentoring by a member of the National Guard gives students exposure to someone from their community who has done it, he added.

Not only is Miller a member of the Brookfield community, he also graduated from Brookfield High School. “I decided in high school that I wanted to be an accountant,” Miller said. But first he joined the Army, serving on Active Duty for two years. Afterward, he enlisted in the National Guard to continue serving his country while taking advantage of the education benefits.

“Any time they call me and need me to talk to students, I’ll gladly go in,” Miller said. “I would absolutely recommend the career mentor program to other members of the National Guard.”

Susan Troupe is a career coordinator at Brookfield High School and is the educator who referred Lyon tothe Partners in Education program.She has a long-time working relationshipwith the ConnecticutArmy National Guard, includinginviting National Guard members for career days and to interpretASVAB test results through theASVAB Career Exploration Program.

“The career mentor program breaks down some of the barriers and stereotypes about people in the military,” Troupe said. “Students don’t always understand that people go into the private sector from the military, and how easy it is to transition from a military career to a civilian one. They don’t know that the military provides an opportunity to have two career pathways.”

“The career mentoring program is a great concept. It’s important for students to be able to tie the academics to the real world,” said Troupe.

Lyon agrees. “When you bring a speaker into a class, the hope is that your students will hear the same words that you as their teacher have spoken, but take these words to heart,” said Lyon. “Not that my students don’t believe their own teacher, but reinforcement from a non-school source always helps. I believe Kurt accomplished that with his talk to my students.”

The Partners in Education database is open to both current and retired National Guard members who can share their diverse career stories with students in their community. The database has more than 800 registered mentors from around the country, but more are needed.

“The more choices there are in the database, the more educators can use this resource,” Troupe said.

[Published in Volume 7, Issue 4 of GX magazine: download PDF]