From the U.S. Air Force to the Classroom

Building Resilience Through Military Service

Suzy Cherry always dreamed of becoming a teacher. But before she ever set foot in a classroom, she served her country in the U.S. Air Force, an experience that taught her resilience, adaptability, and leadership, and ultimately led her back to her first calling: education.

Cherry served as a cook at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam before joining the Massachusetts Air National Guard, where she became a noncommissioned officer. She also worked full-time as a secretary to the chief of security police at Barnes Air National Guard Base.

During her years in uniform, Cherry worked with new recruits to senior officers, and civilian leaders. She strengthened her communication, organization, and problem-solving skills while managing significant responsibility. She said she can now see how deeply those lessons shaped her career.

“A lot of what I learned from the military I can only appreciate in retrospect,” Cherry said. “That’s where I picked up that sense of persistence, the idea that you don’t stop until you’ve done everything you can.”

The military also taught her how to handle change. “Like a lot of people, I don’t love when change gets dropped on me,” she said. “But I learned to adjust quickly. That came from my time in the service.”

From Air Force Veteran to Teacher

Today, Cherry is a high school special education teacher at Sierra School of Gateway, where she teaches students in grades 7–11. Her path to the classroom was anything but traditional. After retiring, her son told her the school where he worked needed drivers. Cherry began working part-time as a driver with Lexington Life Academy’s Gateway campus (now Sierra School of Gateway) in 2022. Before long, she discovered how much she loved working directly with students and transitioned into a paraprofessional role, eventually deciding to become a certified special education teacher.

Cherry said the lessons she learned in the military guide her teaching every day. “The military taught me to keep going and not give up, to adjust on the run and learn to pivot,” she said. “That mindset helps me stay flexible and calm when the unexpected happens.”

Inspiring Other Veterans to Teach

She encourages other veterans to consider teaching. “If someone feels called to teach, I’d absolutely encourage it,” she said. “For many veterans, teaching is another way to serve, just in a different uniform.”

Her students don’t often hear many details from her military days, but she shares stories when they connect to a lesson. “When I was in the Air Guard, one of the pilots in my unit later went on to serve on the space shuttle,” she said. “He told us a fun fact that I shared with my students –  when you drop a peanut butter sandwich on Earth, it always lands peanut butter side down, but in space, it floats to the wall.”

“Suzy is a dedicated teacher who helps our students build endurance and strength,” said Jessica Gilmore, the school’s director.

Lessons of Courage and Adaptability in the Classroom

When students face tough choices or overwhelming moments, Cherry draws on her life experiences to offer understanding, encouragement, and steady support. And when she or her students need a reminder of their own courage, she thinks back to rappelling down a 60-foot wall, proof that bravery often shows up when you need it most.