One retired serviceman-turned-educator has a new mission: helping build character one youth cadet at a time.
Veteran Lt. Col. Kevin Ingram runs the U.S. Army Junior ROTC program for Thomas County Schools. He started the program at Bishop Hall while splitting the workday between Bishop Hall Charter School and Thomas County Central High School. In July 2021, the program officially moved to the TCCHS campus.
“Army JROTC provides instruction in leadership, health and wellness, physical fitness, first-aid, geography, American history and government, communications, and emotional intelligence,” Ingram said. “Weekly activities include classroom instruction, team-building exercises, physical fitness, and drill. Extracurricular activities include competition drill team, Raider Challenge, and JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl. We also conduct service-learning projects and other opportunities in the community.”
Ingram said Army JROTC is the country’s largest student character-building program with more than 1,700 programs. However, his high school did not have such a program when he attended it.
“But if we did, I am confident I would have been part of it,” Ingram said.
Ingram began his military career in 1996 when he served as a U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery officer. Positions he held included platoon leader, company commander, battalion operations officer (S3), brigade operations officer (S3), and battalion commander. Ingram deployed multiple times, including two tours in Iraq, and spent time stationed at various bases throughout the country, including Fort Stewart in Georgia. His honors include two Bronze Star medals and four Meritorious Service medals.
Upon retiring from active duty in 2016, Ingram sought a way to instill his love of service within the country’s youth.
“The one thing I enjoyed the most in the army were the opportunities to coach/teach/mentor,” he said. “I was approached by a friend and fellow instructor in Georgia, who convinced me JROTC was where I needed to be.”
Leading JROTC was the logical next step. He ran Ware County High School’s program for three years before moving to Thomas County Schools.
“I was contacted in early 2020 about the opportunity of coming over and starting the program,” Ingram said. “I am very familiar with Thomasville and knew this was the right opportunity.”
And while not long in miles, Ingram journeyed across sports rivalry lines when he took the job at TCCHS: he graduated as a Syrupmaker from Cairo High School. Being a Yellow Jacket is a new experience for Ingram, but he enjoys it.
“I've always been a huge fan of every organization I've served in, and being part of Thomas County Central is no different,” he said. “I'm a proud Yellow Jacket now.”
Ingram’s ties to the Thomasville community stretch to the start of his career: he earned his business administration degree from then-named Thomas College (now Thomas University) and a commission from Florida State University.
“I was the first and only ROTC scholarship cadet to enroll at Thomas College and earn a commission,” he said. “The program was short-lived, terminating a few years after I graduated. I literally began my military career in Thomasville.”
Other degrees Ingram holds include a master’s in education from the University of Georgia and a master’s in military operational art and science from Air University (Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.).
Now, he relishes spending his days teaching local youth how to be well-rounded citizens. Ingram’s students appreciate their instructor’s passion for his job and the lessons they’ve learned from him.
Junior Jackson McCorkle, 17, a battalion operations officer, describes Ingram as a universal instructor.
“He provides motivation for students who may not feel like or believe that they could accomplish their goals, but he gives them the encouragement they need to take the steps and try anyway,” McCorkle said.
Junior Jackson Emmett, 16, a battalion security officer and company commander, said he owes most of his leadership abilities’ improvement to Ingram’s teaching style.
“It has provided me with a newfound confidence in myself and my abilities,” Emmett said. “He also makes sure that students understand the value in being on time, respectful and disciplined.”
Sophomore Nicholas Whigham, 16, battalion operations non-commissioned officer in charge, believes Ingram is a role model.
“He knows from experience what he tries to teach us,” Whigham said. “He is an informative commander. I say this because he teaches us everything we need to know without leaving us lost or confused. I enjoy that we can come to him with questions about anything, and he will take it seriously and try to help. I also enjoy that he tries to have fun with PT or in-class lessons and is not boring.”
Platoon sergeant Masato Vasaya, 16, calls Ingram an inspirational leader who might have a formal teaching style but believes in equality.
“He has high hopes for all of us, and he sees the good in people,” he said. “He's a good commander, and he has a good way of organizing the way that he does things and treats his cadets and others with the utmost respect. I enjoy that he believes in us so much and pushes us to be better. I couldn't ask for a better military member to lead the JROTC here than LTC Ingram.”
Additionally, individuals besides Ingram’s cadets have noticed his dedication, and he recently received a special recognition. Ingram learned he won the 2020-2021 Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Teacher of the Year award for Georgia, District 8. This distinction honors outstanding teachers who dedicate themselves to promoting civic responsibility, flag etiquette and patriotism. He received his plaque March 9.
“The honor definitely came as a surprise,” Ingram said. “I am honored and humbled. It takes more than just an energized instructor; it takes students like we have and an administration that supports us. When all three are working towards the same goal, the endstate is success.”
Outside the classroom, Ingram and his wife Sharon have five children and two grandchildren. In his downtime, he enjoys traveling and being with his family.
“Taking the grandkids to Disney World and my wife to Scotland are on the list for the future,” he said.