NJEA honors members who have served or are currently serving in the National Guard
NJEA is proud to join in celebrating the United States National Guard on their 387th birthday on Dec. 13. Established in 1636, the National Guard is the oldest military organization in America. Its members serve during times of war and emergency.
Learn more about NJEA members who have served or are currently serving in the National Guard.
A sense of adventure
Tamar LaSure-Owens also was influenced by her father, a Vietnam veteran, in her decision to enlist in the Army National Guard while she was in college.
“I was always interested in the military, and I am a very adventurous person,” LaSure-Owens says. “I wanted independence and control at a young age. My father talked about some of the issues he faced during his military service. He certainly faced discrimination, but he also talked about how it gave him an opportunity to travel and support his family.”
Army National Guard veteran and Pleasantville teacher Tamar LaSure-Owens presents a workshop at the NJEA Equity Alliance Conference in January 2022.
LaSure-Owens was born in Washington, and her brother was born in France. Her older siblings spoke French while the family was stationed overseas.
“It was an experience for all of them,” she says. “Growing up with that direction and tradition was powerful.”
LaSure-Owens was part of many firsts while serving in the military. She served in a male-dominated unit and was one of only three women who graduated from officer training in 2000. A year later, the terrorist attacks on 9/11 changed almost everything. For the first time, National Guard members were deployed first, and LaSure-Owens was ready.
“Like every soldier, I wanted to lay down my life for my country,” LaSure-Owens says.
She served at Oyster Creek Power Plant as the first female officer on patrol.
After 10 years in the military, LaSure-Owens shifted her focus to education. Since 2007, she has taught in Pleasantville, and is currently a third-grade teacher.
“Loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage—that is what you lead with in the Army, and that’s what you bring with you as an educator.”
Juggling teaching and serving
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.
Edison teacher Todd Pagel, as he is promoted to the rank of lieutenant in the U.S. Coast Guard.
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 honors members who have served or are currently serving in the National Guard
NJEA is proud to join in celebrating the United States National Guard on their 387th birthday on Dec. 13. Established in 1636, the National Guard is the oldest military organization in America. Its members serve during times of war and emergency.
Learn more about NJEA members who have served or are currently serving in the National Guard.
A sense of adventure
Tamar LaSure-Owens also was influenced by her father, a Vietnam veteran, in her decision to enlist in the Army National Guard while she was in college.
“I was always interested in the military, and I am a very adventurous person,” LaSure-Owens says. “I wanted independence and control at a young age. My father talked about some of the issues he faced during his military service. He certainly faced discrimination, but he also talked about how it gave him an opportunity to travel and support his family.”
Army National Guard veteran and Pleasantville teacher Tamar LaSure-Owens presents a workshop at the NJEA Equity Alliance Conference in January 2022.
LaSure-Owens was born in Washington, and her brother was born in France. Her older siblings spoke French while the family was stationed overseas.
“It was an experience for all of them,” she says. “Growing up with that direction and tradition was powerful.”
LaSure-Owens was part of many firsts while serving in the military. She served in a male-dominated unit and was one of only three women who graduated from officer training in 2000. A year later, the terrorist attacks on 9/11 changed almost everything. For the first time, National Guard members were deployed first, and LaSure-Owens was ready.
“Like every soldier, I wanted to lay down my life for my country,” LaSure-Owens says.
She served at Oyster Creek Power Plant as the first female officer on patrol.
After 10 years in the military, LaSure-Owens shifted her focus to education. Since 2007, she has taught in Pleasantville, and is currently a third-grade teacher.
“Loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage—that is what you lead with in the Army, and that’s what you bring with you as an educator.”
Juggling teaching and serving
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.
Edison teacher Todd Pagel, as he is promoted to the rank of lieutenant in the U.S. Coast Guard.
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.”