Todd Pagel always knew he wanted to teach and coach. He grew up in the Montgomery/Princeton area, and his mother taught in Edison for 35 years.
He also knew that he wanted to serve in the military but needed the timing to be right.
Pagel began teaching history at Bernardsville High School, but in 2009, he was laid off during a reduction in staff. That’s when he and his wife decided the time was right for him to join the military.
Pagel enlisted with the Coast Guard reserves. He also accepted a position at Edison High School. As a reservist, he balances his career in education with his military service, but that has grown to be a greater challenge as his unit has been called up more frequently.
“It’s a unique challenge doing both,” Pagel says. “My students and I have a lot of conversations about it at the beginning of the year. They need to be more responsible to uphold the high expectations I have for them, because I’m going to be away at some point during the year.”
As challenging as it is, Pagel sees benefits for himself and his students.
“It’s amazing that I’m able to serve in the military and teach,” Pagel says. “Both of my jobs have such a great impact on people—not everyone has a career where they feel that. Everything I do is making a difference and making the world a better place, whether I’m teaching 120 kids history or I’m saving lives in the Coast Guard.”
NJEA Patriots Alliance
In 2017, NJEA created the Patriots Alliance, a coalition of NJEA members who served in the Armed Forces and are now working in public education. The Patriots Alliance currently numbers more than 250 members. It helps to inform veterans of their rights and benefits under the law and advocate for their interests. In addition, members of the Patriots Alliance are available to speak at schools and provide valuable insight into careers in the military. Learn more at njea.org/patriots.