Troops to Teachers now has an Associate Regional Director of Native American Affairs. Colonel (Ret.) Joey Strickland, has been named to recruit,
counsel and assist with job placement on as many as three hundred
reservations across the United States. Strickland, who is American
Indian of Choctaw-Hispanic descent, also served as Louisiana Director of
Indian Affairs from 1996 to 2004. In May 1995, and was selected from 80
candidates to serve as Louisiana State Director of Troops to Teachers
as a member of the Louisiana Governor’s personal staff. Col. Strickland
served as Director of the Louisiana State office of Troops to Teachers,
from 1995 until 1998 where he was able to establish an alternative
certification program. Col. Strickland became Director of the Louisiana
Department of Veterans Affairs. Strickland most recently retired after
five years as the head the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services
after serving more than 10 years as the Deputy Secretary and Executive
Director of the Louisiana Department of Veterans.
“I am very excited and happy to be back with Troops to Teachers. I have kept up with former Troops to Teachers Chief, Dr. John Gantz and Regional Director Colonel Joe Morgan, as well as the current TTT Chief, Mr. Bill McAleer,” says Strickland. “Joey Strickland will bring great leadership ability to an area that has been greatly underserved by our organization. His efforts will no doubt bring military veterans into the classrooms in ever increasing numbers,” says Colonel Morgan.
“Being of Native American heritage, it was always a goal of mine to help bring Troops to Teachers to Native American veterans and provide them the same opportunity in reservation schools. It is a known fact that after completion of their military service many Indian veterans return to their reservations. There is usually a shortage of non-Indian teachers on the reservations because of housing shortages and isolation. I see my role as the POC for Indian veterans desiring to be teachers through the Troops to Teachers Program. Presenting weekly on Reservations will give me the opportunity to educate potential candidates, principals, superintendents and Indian leadership about the benefits of hiring military veterans who will be wonderful role models within the Troops to Teachers program. My duties will also include educating national Indian organizations (NCAI, USET) on Troops to Teachers, as well as speaking to and about native colleges and universities who may desire to create alternative certification programs for those who wish to “proudly serve again.” My initial duties will focus primarily in the four corners of New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Colorado, but will outreach to other states with any needed support, eventually branching north, west, and then to the east.”
“I am very excited and happy to be back with Troops to Teachers. I have kept up with former Troops to Teachers Chief, Dr. John Gantz and Regional Director Colonel Joe Morgan, as well as the current TTT Chief, Mr. Bill McAleer,” says Strickland. “Joey Strickland will bring great leadership ability to an area that has been greatly underserved by our organization. His efforts will no doubt bring military veterans into the classrooms in ever increasing numbers,” says Colonel Morgan.
“Being of Native American heritage, it was always a goal of mine to help bring Troops to Teachers to Native American veterans and provide them the same opportunity in reservation schools. It is a known fact that after completion of their military service many Indian veterans return to their reservations. There is usually a shortage of non-Indian teachers on the reservations because of housing shortages and isolation. I see my role as the POC for Indian veterans desiring to be teachers through the Troops to Teachers Program. Presenting weekly on Reservations will give me the opportunity to educate potential candidates, principals, superintendents and Indian leadership about the benefits of hiring military veterans who will be wonderful role models within the Troops to Teachers program. My duties will also include educating national Indian organizations (NCAI, USET) on Troops to Teachers, as well as speaking to and about native colleges and universities who may desire to create alternative certification programs for those who wish to “proudly serve again.” My initial duties will focus primarily in the four corners of New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Colorado, but will outreach to other states with any needed support, eventually branching north, west, and then to the east.”
~Strickland
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