November 7, 2025 — The spirit of service runs deep in the Cobb County School District. Whether they're principals, custodians, social workers, or kindergarten teachers, veterans across Cobb Schools are proving that the call to serve never fades, as they transform their military experience into lessons of leadership, perseverance, and purpose to shape futures, one student at a time.

"So much of what I learned in military training or during exercises with other firefighters really does translate to what we do here," said Rocky Mount Social Worker Paul Pursell. 

Pursell served as a U.S. Air Force staff sergeant for the 94th Civil Engineering Squadron at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, just a short drive from where he now supports Cobb students and families. During his time in the U.S. Air Force, the Rocky Mount veteran learned a lot about persistence, which he now brings to his job at Rocky Mount.

Over at East Cobb Middle School, Principal Michael Askew finds himself serving in a career and job that he never envisioned for himself. Principal Askew, who served as a lance corporal for the U.S. Marines, said he became interested in the military after being at a crossroads when he finished high school.

"My dad said you have two choices: you can either go to college, or you can go to the military. I'm ashamed to say I didn't have the best relationship with school, so I went to the military. I'll never forget my staff sergeant said you've got to learn how to hunt tanks and in order to set tank traps. You need to know algebra; otherwise, you're going to die. So, I became the best algebra student I knew how to be, learning how to set tank traps and blow-up trees with C4," explained the East Cobb principal. 

Principal Askew uses his military experience as an opportunity to tell students how things like algebra can be useful later in life, even if they have no idea that it could be. The East Cobb Principal deployed to Liberia, where he served as a tank hunter and drove zodiacs. Because Principal Askew committed himself to learning algebra and the technical skills his mission demanded, he was prepared to keep his fellow Marines and others safe. 

Tritt Elementary School kindergarten teacher Heather Garrett uses Veterans Day as an opportunity to surprise her students.

"My kids are always shocked to learn on Veterans Day that I am a veteran of the United States Army," shared Garrett.

Before she helped young students at Tritt learn to read, Garrett changed tires on massive trucks for the Army and transported people safely to ensure that operations ran smoothly.

While Garrett continues her lifetime of service now as a kindergarten teacher, another veteran is building up the spirit of service at Rocky Mount,

Custodian Winston Wilkinson spent 15 years in the U.S. Navy serving as an electrician and engineer.

"Being in the engineering department, you learn a lot of engineering principles that you can relate to in regular life—especially at home, where I'm the handyman," explained the Rocky Mount custodian.

Wilkinson said he appreciates all the support he sees at Rocky Mount every day, as well as the appreciation he feels from the school and its students during their annual Veterans Day celebration.

U.S. Army veteran and now Fair Oaks Principal, Cathie Seibert is open about her time in the military and allows it to be a part of how she approaches her job.

Prior to stepping into school leadership, Principal Seibert served as a U.S. Army soldier, driving tanks and supporting missions while keeping her fellow soldiers safe. Principal Seibert was deployed overseas to Korea, where she quickly realized she was one of the first women to do so in her unit. 

In her life outside the military, she applies those same principles of discipline and commitment to better educate students in Cobb.

"Respect for the mission, respect for what we stand for, and respect for what we do. And that's a big part of what we have here in Cobb County," said Seibert.

Join us in thanking all the veterans who proudly served, especially those who continue to support students here in Cobb Schools.