By SANDRA THAMES/Community Columnist

The ROTC program at Thompson High School is not about early recruitment for the military, as so many people seem to believe. This elective course for boys and girls teaches the individual to take their role seriously and strive for skills, knowledge, training, precision, service to mankind and leadership.

The THS ROTC does fundraising, participates at Veterans Day memorials, marches in parades, displays the flag at football games, etc. They are also responsible for public service projects, such as cleaning and maintaining sections of highways.

The new ROTC instructor is Lt. Col. Doug Crabb, a Pennsylvania native who was most recently an instructor at Texas Tech. Originally influenced by his father, who was a high school math teacher and coach for 35 years, and by his basketball coach and social studies teacher, Joe Chalmers, Crabb was interested in the military as early as junior high school. Crabb served on active duty for 27 years and 10 months.

His favorite sport: Wrestling with his grandkids. In our area for less than a month, Crabb said that he and his wife love the area and are in the process of securing some land on which to build their dream retirement home.

A man who is comfortable in his own skin, Lt. Col. Doug Crabb is down-to-earth, loves talking about his three kids and seven grandkids, and enjoys sci-fi reading and tabletop war games.

Crabb’s enthusiasm for the upcoming year was evident and his classroom is inviting and even interesting. Feeling a need to return to his love of teaching after retirement, his goal is to continue to serve students by providing quality and challenging instruction that will help students have brighter futures.

Crabb and his family have been frequent movers. Bases in Colorado, Ohio, Utah, Texas, Virginia, Germany, and Korea along with the Air Force Institute of Technology and Air Command and Staff College along with several major awards and decorations make for an impressive resume.

THS you did good again!

 

Community columnist Sandra Thames can be reached by e–mail at bobthames1942@yahoo.com.