ATLANTA, GEORGIA-It is said that being a teacher is a calling that not everyone can answer.
For one Soldier from the 310th Psychological Operations Company, teaching is definitely his calling. Sergeant First Class Richard Colvin was recognized for his efforts in and out of uniform during the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Achievement Awards Ceremony. The ceremony was held on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at the Army Reserve Command headquarters at Fort McPherson, GA.
Colvin, a psychological operations specialist with 22 years of military service, was the company First Sergeant and the training NCO for the 310th. When he's not wearing the uniform, he teaches U.S. and World History at Loganville High School in Walton County, GA. Colvin earned a bachelor degree in history from East Carolina University and a Masters in Education from the University of Georgia.
Whether he is teaching Soldiers how to prepare for a deployment or teaching high school students how history applies to what is going in today's world, Colvin said he enjoys "watching students grasp an idea; seeing that 'ah-ha' moment when something clicks with them."
Colvin, who has served tours in Bosnia and Afghanistan, uses photographs and his real world experiences to complement the curriculum. Citing one example, Colvin was able to show them a picture he took of the location where Archduke Ferdinand was killed in Sarajevo, which was the spark that ignited World War I. "Having something like that is better than them reading it out of a book," he said.
During his time as unit training NCO starting in 2006, Colvin estimates that he has trained nearly 800 Soldiers prior to deploying overseas. He said the training included range qualification and Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills to rotations to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA. and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, LA.
Colvin said earning the award from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was a surprise and an honor. "To be recognized for something in line with what you do every day is special," he said, adding that the 310th is a "very good unit with dedicated Soldiers."
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