From teacher to soldier: BCLUW's Ascherl prepares to head overseas with Air National Guard

For the better part of the last two years, BCLUW Middle School science teacher Evan Ascherl has been giving orders to students. For the next few months, however, he’ll get used to taking them upon returning to his other job as a mechanic in the Air National Guard and deploying in Afghanistan.
           
“Teaching has helped me out military wise. Things aren’t always going to go your way,” he said. “Sometimes you’ve got to say you know what, today’s just not the day. We’ll come back tomorrow and get it that way, and you can’t take yourself so seriously.”
           
During an assembly on leadership at the elementary school in Conrad on Monday afternoon, Ascherl explained what exactly he does, how he stays connected with friends and family from halfway around the world and why he’s chosen to stay in the military while pursuing a teaching career.
           
“My family’s been in the military my whole life, so it’s just kind of a natural thing for me,” he said. “I know what to expect now, and I accept it because there’s not a whole lot I can do. When they tell me to go somewhere, I just say ‘When and where?’”
           
Ascherl, a 2010 graduate of Sheldon High School, will make his third trip to Afghanistan when he leaves for a two-month deployment next week, and he balances weekend drill activities with all of the duties that come with being a teacher and coach. After each deployment, he’s guaranteed at least 15 months off before the next one.
 
While working toward his degree at the University of Northern Iowa, Ascherl decided that he would stay in the service for at least 20 years in order to ensure a more stable retirement plan. It’s all been a juggling act, but he wouldn’t trade it for the world. 
 
Read the full story in this week's Grundy Register. Subscribe by calling (319) 824-6958 or clicking here.