EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 El Paso High School\u2019s JROTC program has a familiar face leading cadets this year: a former Tiger who once competed on the drill team is now back on campus as an instructor after a 20-year Army career.<\/p>\n
First Sgt. Paul Ramirez, El Paso High\u2019s new JROTC instructor, was a student in the program before enlisting in the Army after graduation. <\/p>\n
Now, he has returned to his alma mater to share his military experience with the next generation of cadets.<\/p>\n
Coming back to El Paso High, where it all started for me means a lot,\u201d Ramirez said. \u201cI was influenced by good cadets and good instructors. One of the instructors stood out to me the most. His name was Sgt. Class Juan Arispe, and he showed me what it meant to join the military, what it meant to be part of a program, and find out a little bit about yourself. So that’s what I wanted to do, is go serve my country.<\/p>\n
JROTC student Antonio Jesus Medrano said having Ramirez as an instructor has been motivating for cadets.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, it’s just inspiring, really, to see that someone can turn from an 18-year-old not knowing anything about life to enlisting in the United States Armed Forces, going through all these years of education and wisdom gaming to now come back and decide to share that hard-earned wisdom with us,\u201d Medrano said.<\/p>\n
Ramirez has received multiple recognitions and awards during his time in the military and is a Purple Heart recipient.<\/p>\n
Former El Paso High JROTC cadet returns as instructor after 20 years in Army<\/p>\n<\/p>\n