FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - "Vibrant." "Interesting." "Understandable."
With descriptions like these about him from his students, it's easy to see why Staff Sgt. Chris Rose was selected as the Instructor of the Year for the Army Medical Department Center and School, Academy of Health Sciences.
Rose, an instructor and the basic course manager for the Animal Care Specialist Course, competed against three instructors at the AMEDD Center and School for Fiscal 08. He is now in the running for the Training and Doctrine Command Noncommissioned Officer Instructor of the Year.
"I'm excited. It took a lot of dedication and flexibility with the teaching of classes," said Rose, referring to his selection.
Sgt. 1st Class Brett Long, NCO in charge of the Animal Medicine Branch, Department of Veterinary Science, nominated Rose as an instructor of the quarter. The four instructors of the quarters competed for instructor of the year honors. Long said Rose was deserving of the best-instructor recognition.
"He is one of the top instructors and one of the best NCOs I have in the branch," Long said.
Rose keeps his classes fun, interesting and has the ability to teach at the level of his students, said Long, who has worked with him for three years.
Rose's students, who are studying to become veterinary technicians, agreed.
"He (Rose) makes learning very interesting and more fun than most instructors," said student Pfc. Emily Varner. "My eyes are wide open, my ears are wide open," she said, referring to her time in his classes.
Rose tells stories, gives good examples in layman terms and uses comparisons that Soldiers understand, said student Pfc. Jody Gaudrault.
For example, in a lesson on the differences between broad spectrum and narrow spectrum antibiotics, Rose compared them to a shotgun and an M-16 rifle, Varner said.
"You've got the shotgun - a spatter kill and the M-16 - one shot, one kill," she said.
Rose, 37, a former infantryman and administrative specialist, has been a vet tech since 1998 and an instructor here the past three years.
"I've always been interested in dogs and cats. My father was a military working dog handler in Vietnam for the Air Force," said Rose, who is from Tarboro, N.C. "I've always had animals."
Rose teaches anatomy and physiology, pharmacology and drug administration. In his three years as an instructor, he has at one time or another taught all the training modules in the Animal Care Specialist Course, including radiology, parasitology and hematology. As the course program manager, he is also responsible for its administration. Rose also teaches advanced vet tech courses in the Basic Noncommissioned Officers Course.
The best part of the job is interacting with the students, especially helping Soldiers understand concepts, Rose said.
"Taking a student who is not totally comprehending and taking them to the point where the light bulb is going off, where you see the smile go across their face, and they go, 'Oh, I got it now,'" Rose said. "That's what I enjoy."
Class scheduling problems are one of the most challenging parts of the job, he said.
"Scheduling issues always are maximum frustration because of so many things going on at one time," Rose said, "either with the students or us within the facility having scheduling issues."
When he's not doing squad leading time or physical training with his Soldiers at 5 a.m.,
Rose's day will begin with a 7 a.m. arrival at work. He prepares for the teaching day and for his classes, which begin at 8:30 a.m. He typically teaches two to three hours a day.
As the basic course manager, he also ensures that instructors and students have every thing they need to perform their roles.
"If I'm not on the podium (teaching), I've got a lot of administrative things going on," Rose said.
Rose said he did not do anything out of the norm for him to be recognized as the top instructor.
"I did my job, but I always try to do it better every time," he said. "I want the students to get something out of what I'm teaching."
(Jeff Crawley works in the Fort Sam Houston Public Affairs Office)
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