Virginia Social Studies teacher Jimmy Kimbrough previously served his country as a Lt. Colonel in the US Army. Photo credit: Troops to Teachers.

Some of the best educators in the classroom are those who previously served in the US military. One of these is Jimmy Kimbrough, a Social Studies teacher in Hampton, Virginia.

Jimmy spent his military career as a Lt. Colonel in the US Army. Through the military, the experienced soldier had his first experience as a teacher. From 2004 to 2007, he served as an instructor at the Armored Captains Career Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky. At the end of his career, he served as a professor of Military Science at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia.

After completing his career in the Army, Jimmy decided he wanted to become a teacher for younger students. “I wanted to help young adults better prepare themselves for the challenges they will face upon graduation,” he recalls. “Over my life, I have benefited from the investment of time and effort by many teachers and mentors. I wanted to pay that forward,” he reveals. After training in the Troops to Teachers program, Jimmy accepted a position as a social studies teacher at Kecoughtan High School in Hampson, Virginia.

Jimmy believes a good teacher must be patient, caring, and passionate about learning. In addition, a teacher must possess a willingness to help students understand the classroom content. And in addition to that, he asserts, a teacher should adjust their styles to the needs of their students.

As a result of his classroom experience, Jimmy says he was surprised to learn that not all students are motivated by grades. “Students respond to positive comments, public praise, and a pat on the back,” he observes. “When I tell them that I am proud of them, that motivates them to try and do better.”

Jimmy earned his Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Affairs from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1995. In 2007, he earned his first Master’s degree in Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Managements from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He earned his second Master’s degree in Airpower and Space Studies from Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base in 2008.