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‘Troops to Teachers’ helps new careers

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Representatives from the Illinois Troops to Teachers initiative visited Scott Airmen recently to share information about their program.

Troops to Teachers is a program that helps both active duty and reserve members with achieving their goal of earning their teaching degree.

"TTT can be a source of information on state, regional and national routes toward teacher preparation," said Emily Siefken, Illinois Troops to Teachers program manager. "We provide monetary resources, separate from the GI Bill and other military benefits, to pay for teacher preparation or reward employment in a high needs school. We also provide employment assistance."

Siefken said counseling is a big service they provide to current and former servicemembers.

"In almost every case, as a counselor, I am able to inform the servicemember of something they did not know about at the beginning of the process toward a teaching career," Siefken said. "If they already held a teaching certificate, we are a very good source of information about job opportunities. We have a mentor network of TTT participants, many of whom are now principals and superintendents looking to hire."

Seikfen said servicemembers make excellent teachers and should look into this program to help them achieve that goal.

"Military members are proven to excel in the classroom," she said. "Additionally, they stick with teaching much longer than younger teachers starting out. They are altruistic and demand a very high level of commitment from themselves, their students and the parents."

Roland Smith, Education and Training Center education manager, said he highly encourages servicemembers, who are interested in a teaching career, to seek assistance from this program.

"TTT is specifically designed to take advantage of the unique skill set integrated into the military veteran," he said. "This program allows military members who are interested to get a foot in the door as a teacher and potentially earn financial assistance. TTT is a valuable option for military members who want financial and advisement options as they transition into the teaching profession."

Master Sgt. Esmeralda Aharon, chaplain assistant, said she is preparing to retire in four years after 23 years of service, and is looking for assistance on how to earn her teaching certificate and become an elementary school teacher.

"I have wanted to be a teacher since I was a child," Aharon said. "The program is an opportunity to help me reach my childhood goal. Having support and the resources TTT provides will a tremendous help."

Service members who are interested in this program can visit www.proudtoserveagain.com to register.

For more information on the TTT program, visit www.iltroops.org or call 312-814-1831.