TThere is a new face in the JROTC hallway. Command Sgt. Maj. (R) Gabriel Camacho served 22 years in the US Army to protect his country. He retired as a command sergeant major, finally finding it amazing to be close to his family.
He joined the teaching industry here at VMHS in December to help the program grow and to help give advice and training to those who want to join the military.
“So anybody who serves in the military learns about selfless service, and for anybody that stays in over ten years, it’s just in your DNA to serve, to put others before yourself, so I hope to see teaching as a way to keep serving our nation,” Camacho stated.
Now that Camacho is retired, he looks forward to helping the younger generation see the good and better things in life.
He has had a lot of experience in combat and preparing for battle. However, his most extensive experience was seeing different countries and their lifestyles in each environment. Camacho said that understanding them and their cultures was a life-changing experience.
Camacho talked about telling the cadets that the military is a good option after graduating high school. There are only a couple of things you can do.
“You can either choose to join the workforce, attend college to get a degree in what you want to be and then start to work in the career field, or join the military to serve our country.”
But for the most part, if you are not sure about what you want to do, Camacho said joining the military is an excellent place to start because it’s going to allow you to open up to new things, good life skills, and, more importantly, it’s the appreciation from the people to show respect to those who become service members.
“Whether you like it or not, you’re going to become a selfless servant, and that’s something that nobody can fight for. So, if you don’t know what you want to do, it is probably better to do it first so you can work from and build on those thinking moments on what you want to be after you come out of the military. More importantly, it’s admirable that putting yourself before others is always good,” Camacho explained.
Camacho’s journey from military service to teaching is a demonstration of his commitment to serving his country and making a positive impact on the younger generation. Through his years of selfless service, he has gained invaluable experiences and a deep understanding of different cultures.
As a teacher at VMHS, he continues to inspire and guide his students, encouraging them to look at the good and better things in life. His commitment to putting others before himself is admirable and a reminder of the importance of selflessness and service. Patriot Nation extends a warm welcome to Sergeant Camacho.
