WEBVTT 00:00.040 --> 00:03.520 how you ended up going back overseas ? 00:03.530 --> 00:06.810 Um Well I'm a 00:06.810 --> 00:08.880 reservist and having two year 00:08.880 --> 00:12.290 obligation um and this was my 00:12.290 --> 00:15.660 second of my two year obligation when I 00:15.660 --> 00:18.270 got a phone call last summer saying um 00:18.280 --> 00:20.558 I was being mobilized to Tampa florida . 00:21.040 --> 00:24.480 So I came down to us some con 00:24.490 --> 00:28.400 Tampa and now I'm overseas . And 00:28.400 --> 00:30.622 is this your first trip overseas or the 00:30.622 --> 00:32.960 second one ? Mhm . It was my first . 00:32.970 --> 00:36.310 The first . Okay . Um and I , 00:37.990 --> 00:40.680 my very first year in the reserves , I 00:40.680 --> 00:42.791 went overseas , but that was the road 00:42.791 --> 00:46.550 of spain . Okay . And I know you 00:46.550 --> 00:48.883 can't get into specifics about your job , 00:48.883 --> 00:50.828 but can you just tell me generally 00:50.828 --> 00:53.960 about what you're doing over there ? Um 00:55.140 --> 00:58.710 Generally speaking I'm working for us 00:58.710 --> 01:01.340 and calm . Um I sort of act like a 01:01.340 --> 01:03.340 little , I always call it my little 01:03.340 --> 01:05.451 switchboard operator things come into 01:05.451 --> 01:07.618 me and I pass them off to other people 01:07.618 --> 01:10.490 um to get certain products done and 01:10.490 --> 01:11.900 work completely . 01:14.340 --> 01:17.220 Okay . And what did you leave here ? 01:17.230 --> 01:21.130 Because that you were here ? Oh 01:21.130 --> 01:23.420 yeah , I'm a teacher . And what did you 01:23.420 --> 01:25.364 do there ? It says that you were a 01:25.364 --> 01:28.300 teacher . Oh I'm I'm actually still a 01:28.300 --> 01:30.356 teacher for the best of my knowledge 01:30.356 --> 01:33.290 but on the english , on the english 01:33.300 --> 01:35.467 department chair and teacher at mohawk 01:35.467 --> 01:37.522 Trail Regional High School Shelburne 01:37.522 --> 01:39.744 Falls massachusetts and I'll be heading 01:39.744 --> 01:43.420 back there next september okay . You 01:43.420 --> 01:45.309 know how is it kind of , you know 01:45.309 --> 01:47.364 obviously when you signed up for the 01:47.364 --> 01:49.400 reserve you knew that you would be 01:49.400 --> 01:52.430 doing your country a service , but how 01:52.430 --> 01:54.770 is it to also you know , leave all the 01:54.780 --> 01:56.780 students behind , you know that you 01:56.780 --> 01:59.002 were teaching . Obviously you get to go 01:59.002 --> 02:01.002 back but there has to be , you know 02:01.002 --> 02:03.224 missing them to some extent . Oh yeah , 02:03.224 --> 02:05.320 you really do . Um you know , I was 02:05.320 --> 02:07.431 looking forward to the classes that I 02:07.431 --> 02:09.720 was going to teach this year and that , 02:09.730 --> 02:12.060 that in itself is a disappointment when 02:12.070 --> 02:14.880 for example , I teach ap english and 02:14.890 --> 02:17.940 it's a relatively um super actually not 02:17.940 --> 02:20.051 relative , it's a super group of kids 02:20.051 --> 02:22.162 that you're working with all the time 02:22.162 --> 02:24.273 and it's a yearlong course . Um and I 02:24.273 --> 02:26.384 had to find someone that would , that 02:26.384 --> 02:28.607 could take over that course at the last 02:28.607 --> 02:30.884 minute and there's a lot of prep there . 02:30.884 --> 02:33.051 So to leave those kids behind , one of 02:33.051 --> 02:35.480 which I had for three years and the 02:35.480 --> 02:38.290 joke is always Sandy survivors because 02:38.300 --> 02:40.356 they have me in 10th , 11th and 12th 02:40.356 --> 02:43.070 grade , if they take a pee and one of 02:43.070 --> 02:44.959 the girls would have been a Sandy 02:44.959 --> 02:47.670 survivor . But um unfortunately to send 02:47.670 --> 02:50.240 an email and say sorry jenny . Um there 02:50.240 --> 02:52.760 will be a new teacher come to fall and 02:52.770 --> 02:56.340 you really miss that part being being 02:56.340 --> 02:59.800 with kids . Um adults are 02:59.810 --> 03:01.977 sometimes no different than kids , but 03:01.977 --> 03:03.920 um , being a high school teacher 03:03.920 --> 03:07.540 actually is a lot of fun and have you 03:07.540 --> 03:09.900 had a chance to communicate still with 03:09.900 --> 03:13.790 the students ? Um it's more so with the 03:13.790 --> 03:16.030 staff , I have some students that have 03:16.030 --> 03:18.270 been in touch with me . Um one in 03:18.270 --> 03:21.760 particular , I have a young lady who 03:21.760 --> 03:24.300 will be graduating this year . Um who 03:24.300 --> 03:27.580 writes me about 7 to 10 days . Um came 03:27.580 --> 03:30.180 as a big surprise , but it's been an an 03:30.180 --> 03:32.180 enjoyable surprise . It's all snail 03:32.180 --> 03:36.070 mail and um that really beats email , 03:36.080 --> 03:38.640 email's great , but snail mail is even 03:38.640 --> 03:40.960 better because it's so unexpected to 03:40.960 --> 03:43.470 get a letter in the mail nowadays . 03:43.480 --> 03:46.640 Right . And then the staff send you the 03:46.640 --> 03:49.830 email . Yeah , I email with the staff 03:49.830 --> 03:52.590 and friends and family . Um All my 03:52.590 --> 03:55.000 family except for my mother's on email 03:55.010 --> 03:57.620 and all my friends are on email . So , 03:57.620 --> 04:00.250 and obviously I'm still on the mohawk 04:00.260 --> 04:03.360 email list so I can drop um I try to 04:03.360 --> 04:05.800 drop an email and an update about every 04:05.800 --> 04:09.240 two weeks . Let them know I'm fine . 04:09.250 --> 04:11.472 And what has been the response from the 04:11.472 --> 04:13.472 staff , what kind of emails are you 04:13.472 --> 04:15.310 getting from them ? Uh They're 04:15.310 --> 04:17.540 supportive . I'd say the ones I'm 04:17.540 --> 04:19.596 getting for them are basically sandy 04:19.596 --> 04:22.240 take care um thinking of you , miss you 04:22.240 --> 04:25.430 type of things . Um and a lot is , you 04:25.430 --> 04:27.650 know , the worry and I , you know , I 04:27.650 --> 04:30.200 like people to know that I am safe here . 04:30.620 --> 04:32.787 I sleep at night . I don't worry about 04:32.787 --> 04:36.420 it . Yeah . Okay . 04:36.430 --> 04:39.710 And now they are , I'm just kind of 04:39.710 --> 04:41.710 reading this article as we're going 04:41.710 --> 04:44.620 through and you said that they worked 04:44.620 --> 04:47.470 around your schedule . Well that was 04:47.470 --> 04:49.192 the principal of the assistant 04:49.192 --> 04:51.780 principal and the Superintendent . Um 04:51.790 --> 04:53.623 they were interviewing for a new 04:53.623 --> 04:55.846 position , which I applied for and they 04:55.846 --> 04:57.957 worked around my schedule . They knew 04:57.957 --> 05:00.470 that I would be leaving shortly . Um , 05:00.470 --> 05:02.637 and that I was down in florida and not 05:02.637 --> 05:04.803 in massachusetts . So they gave me the 05:04.803 --> 05:06.970 opportunity to pick a time and date to 05:06.970 --> 05:09.330 come up for an interview and they also 05:09.330 --> 05:12.730 were willing to do a VtC interview if I 05:12.730 --> 05:15.350 was unable to make it up um North 05:15.360 --> 05:18.060 because it wasn't in january , I didn't 05:18.060 --> 05:20.790 get the job , but that's ok . At least 05:20.790 --> 05:22.901 they still , you know , considered it 05:22.901 --> 05:25.123 and work around your schedule , right ? 05:25.123 --> 05:27.234 They considered it . They gave me the 05:27.234 --> 05:29.401 interview when , you know , they could 05:29.401 --> 05:31.623 have said , hey , she's too busy or you 05:31.623 --> 05:33.790 know , we can't do our schedule around 05:33.790 --> 05:35.346 you , but they were very um 05:35.346 --> 05:37.012 accommodating that way . So I 05:37.012 --> 05:39.068 appreciate that . I was given a fair 05:39.068 --> 05:41.012 shake and I can at least say , hey 05:41.012 --> 05:42.957 applied for it . I didn't get it . 05:42.957 --> 05:45.920 That's okay . Exactly . And 05:47.740 --> 05:50.520 how is it to be ? You know , obviously 05:50.520 --> 05:52.576 you are making the sacrifice kind of 05:52.576 --> 05:55.100 Uprooting , you know , from home to go 05:55.100 --> 05:57.220 over there and serve , you know , why 05:57.220 --> 06:00.930 did you decide to do that ? Um , I tell 06:00.930 --> 06:03.680 people if it goes back to really my 06:03.680 --> 06:05.958 upbringing , I really feel people , oh , 06:05.958 --> 06:08.330 uh , their church , their community and 06:08.330 --> 06:11.400 their country something . Um , I had 06:11.410 --> 06:13.466 obviously , I teach school , I was a 06:13.466 --> 06:15.560 coach . Um , I worked in other , you 06:15.560 --> 06:17.616 know , social organizations , health 06:17.616 --> 06:20.660 organizations . Um , I worked at camps 06:20.660 --> 06:23.600 for kids and I felt I had served my 06:23.600 --> 06:26.100 community . I worked at my church . I 06:26.110 --> 06:28.620 taught vacation bible school . I helped 06:28.620 --> 06:32.360 with the teen trips with church . And 06:32.360 --> 06:34.550 while I was in my grad program , I 06:34.550 --> 06:37.220 happened to be talking or met , um , a 06:37.220 --> 06:39.387 Navy captain and I had looked into the 06:39.387 --> 06:41.520 Navy and right after I graduated from 06:41.520 --> 06:44.160 college , um , and didn't go there 06:44.170 --> 06:47.110 instead , got a teaching job and threw 06:47.110 --> 06:49.277 him , I found out about a program that 06:49.277 --> 06:51.499 the Navy hat was offering at the time . 06:51.499 --> 06:53.721 I went down , uh , spoke to a recruiter 06:53.721 --> 06:57.350 and I enlisted on the spot . Um , 06:57.360 --> 07:00.190 what I thought I would have done 24 07:00.190 --> 07:04.100 years . No . Um , but I have enjoyed 07:04.110 --> 07:06.270 every moment I've had in the Navy , I 07:06.270 --> 07:08.437 can look back and say in the course of 07:08.437 --> 07:10.548 24 years , the people I've met , uh , 07:10.548 --> 07:12.650 the things I've done , I could never 07:12.660 --> 07:16.300 experience in any other job . Um , and 07:16.300 --> 07:19.970 I can't praise the different things the 07:19.970 --> 07:22.570 Navy has allowed me to do and this is 07:22.570 --> 07:25.000 one of them . Um , yeah , it's a , 07:25.010 --> 07:28.750 sometimes a hardship , but I do enjoy 07:28.750 --> 07:32.750 the job . Great . Anything else 07:32.750 --> 07:35.430 that you can think of that I didn't ask 07:35.430 --> 07:37.652 or anything that you would want to save 07:37.652 --> 07:39.930 with the people back home here . Um , 07:39.940 --> 07:43.560 one I'd like to say Hello and 07:44.540 --> 07:46.990 especially , you know , to the staff 07:46.990 --> 07:50.470 and faculty at mohawk . Um , I do think 07:50.470 --> 07:54.380 of you often and a special hello to uh 07:54.390 --> 07:56.446 three very important people actually 07:56.446 --> 07:58.390 more than three , but obviously my 07:58.390 --> 08:01.470 mother , um , and also the three people 08:01.470 --> 08:04.440 who took my four animals in , they have 08:04.440 --> 08:06.930 a dog and three cats that they're taken 08:06.930 --> 08:09.041 care of . And this is the second time 08:09.041 --> 08:11.041 they've done it for years length of 08:11.041 --> 08:13.170 time . So , um , the Dottie Eddie and 08:13.170 --> 08:15.800 Marianne , I say thanks a lot . Um , 08:15.810 --> 08:18.070 and I'm looking forward to coming back 08:18.070 --> 08:21.070 home and picking up those little for my 08:21.070 --> 08:23.181 four little people where my four kids 08:23.340 --> 08:25.770 other than that , it's hot here . It's 08:25.840 --> 08:29.040 100 man . 08:29.050 --> 08:32.830 So I wouldn't mind being up there were , 08:32.830 --> 08:34.830 you know , getting towards like the 08:34.830 --> 08:36.997 sixties and seventies and that's , you 08:36.997 --> 08:39.108 know , that . Perfect . Not too hot . 08:39.108 --> 08:41.163 Yeah , Matthew as cold , but finally 08:41.163 --> 08:43.330 starting to look like spring . We have 08:43.330 --> 08:45.497 some touch and go time where there was 08:45.497 --> 08:48.560 snow again . I'm missing that spring . 08:48.940 --> 08:51.830 Exactly . And um , one more question 08:51.830 --> 08:55.210 for you . Sure you are , Your title is 08:55.210 --> 08:59.060 U . S . Navy Commander and 08:59.060 --> 09:01.710 it's Sandy McGill . Right . You're 09:01.710 --> 09:04.410 right . That's correct . Okay , Perfect . 09:04.410 --> 09:06.466 Well , thank you so much . Sandy for 09:06.466 --> 09:08.632 taking the time out to speak with us . 09:08.632 --> 09:10.854 We really appreciate it . Well , thanks 09:10.854 --> 09:12.854 for giving me the time . Amanda . I 09:12.854 --> 09:14.854 appreciate it too . No problem . Hi 09:14.854 --> 09:16.910 everybody , you're back . You know , 09:16.910 --> 09:18.854 just give us a call up and uh , we 09:18.854 --> 09:21.077 might be able to send you out a copy of 09:21.077 --> 09:23.077 the peace if you need that . Okay , 09:23.077 --> 09:25.160 great . Thanks a lot . Okay . thank you .