Accomplished Edwardsville Teacher Joins Army National Guard

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Staff Sgt. Ralph W. Logsdon Jr.,Dan Beiser, Spc. Matt J. Maddox, Dr. Ed Hightower, and Maddox’s class were recognized at the Edwardsville District 7 Board of Education meeting.

• Spc. Matt J. Maddox, also a nationally recognized teacher at Edwardsville's Columbus Grade School, engages a student in a classroom project.

SPRINGFIELD, IL (06/11/2012)(readMedia)-- Members of the Illinois National Guard come from all walks of life, from blue collar jobs like construction to white collar professions like business owner. Citizens-Soldiers live in towns throughout Illinois and neighboring states serving their communities and even educating the next generation.

Spc. Matt J. Maddox of Troy, is an award-winning, nationally-recognized teacher; one of many who are sacrificing to provide the freedoms which many enjoy. Maddox recently enlisted into the Illinois National Guard's 445th Chemical Company in Shiloh.

"He's taking the summer that he usually has off from teaching and is going through basic training," said Staff Sgt. Ralph W. Logsdon Jr. of Highland, a recruiter in the Illinois Army National Guard. "It's awesome."

Maddox is a fifth grade teacher in the Edwardsville school district. His class was featured on the NBC nightly news with Brian Williams and he also worked with Illinois Representative Dan Beiser to declare April 18 as "Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Remembrance Day," in Illinois.

Maddox is in the running, with 31 other candidates, for the Peabody Energy Leader in Education of the Year Award, which will be announced in August. Maddox's drive also gave him the opportunity to participate in Dr. Ed Hightower's administrative internship program within his school district.

Maddox credits his father, Jim L. Maddox of Sandoval, for setting the example he wanted to follow. Jim also had careers in both education and the military.

"I kind of followed in my dad's footsteps," said Matt Maddox. "He is someone I look up to. My dad was a principal and just retired. He is also a retired senior master sergeant in the Air Force Reserves. I just kind of followed that because I think it's important to do as much as possible."

As someone who has gone through military training before, Jim was able to pass some advice on to his son.

"I told him not to take anything personal in basic training," said Jim Maddox. "They have a goal to make you work as a unit and a team and that's what they're doing. They want to adapt you to military life."

Maddox, who left for basic training at Fort Jackson S.C., a few days after the end of the school year, expects to graduate in early August, just in time for the start of the new school year. An 18-month Officer Candidate School (OCS) training will begin a month after he returns, culminating in his commission at the end of the training period.

Logsdon, who was randomly assigned to contact Maddox, recognized his name from the past. They played high school basketball against each other nearly 10 years earlier, and Logsdon was excited to reconnect with Maddox and help him begin his military career.

"It's cool because our lives went in different directions," said Logsdon, a Scott Air Force Base resident. "I joined the Army right after school and he went to college. It's awesome to be able to share my experiences with him and teach him the Army side. He has helped me out by allowing me to come into his class and talk to his kids, to spread the word in the Edwardsville school district."

Maddox is excited about serving, and sees the benefit of both careers.

"I think teaching will help me to become a better servicemember, but I also think that being a servicemember will help me to become a better teacher," said Matt Maddox. "In fact, I think it's going to help me to become a better person too. We can always get better at whatever we're doing."

Logsdon is extremely confident in Maddox's abilities and expects great things from him.

"I have been a recruiter for almost six years and he is by far the most squared away, accomplished, best recruit I've had to deal with," said Logsdon. "He's going to do great things."

Maddox's family sees the importance of what he's doing and is supportive of his new challenge in life.

"We are very proud of him," said Jim. "A father and mother couldn't be any more proud of him and what he does. We miss him right now, but we understand what he's going through and what he's doing."

Maddox, who recently completed his Masters in Education Administration from Eastern Illinois University, put his civilian endeavors on hold to continue a family tradition of serving as a citizen-Soldier.

Photo provided by Julia Biggs, Edwardsville Intelligencer- Staff Sgt. Ralph W. Logsdon Jr., Illinois State Representative Dan Beiser, Spc. Matt J. Maddox, Edwardsville Superintendent Dr. Ed Hightower, and Maddox's class were recognized at the Edwardsville District 7 Board of Education meeting. Maddox and his class were recognized for its involvement in helping to pass a resolution making April 18 "Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Remembrance Day" in Illinois.

Photo provided by Julia Biggs, Edwardsville Intelligencer – Spc. Matt J. Maddox, also a nationally recognized teacher at Edwardsville's Columbus Grade School, engages a student in a classroom project. Maddox enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in July of 2011, recently went to basic training and will return and begin Officer Candidate School.