Union teen is first from Missouri to attend Guard's Patriot Academy

By: Bill Phelan
Unit Public Affairs Representative

IMAGE+LINK > Dustin Jean poses on the family porch with his parents, Wendy and Michael, and with Sgt. 1st Class William Schumaker, Dustin's recruiter.
UNION, Mo. - A Union teenager will be Missouri's first student at an innovative military high school established by the National Guard in Butlerville, Indiana.

Dustin M. Jean, 17, enlisted in the Missouri National Guard on Feb. 5 and will attend the Patriot Academy as a senior after completing ten weeks of military training.

Created in 2009, the Patriot Academy allows students an opportunity to earn a genuine high school diploma instead of a graduation equivalency diploma (GED).

"It's been proven that students with a GED are not accepted by some colleges and universities and they tend to struggle through life," said Command Sgt. Maj. Judy Macy, the academy's senior advisor. "So we came up with the Patriot Academy concept to address this issue. And, from a National Guard perspective, we want recruits that are the best of the best and those are kids that are high school graduates."

Macy said the Patriot Academy addresses educational and social issues facing each state while filling the ranks of the National Guard at the same time.

"Nationwide there are more than 2 million 17-20-year-olds, with no felonies and no dependants, who do not complete high school each year," Macy said. "Each state is spending a fortune reeducating and training these kids and some end up on welfare. In Indiana for example, only one out of every four welfare recipients is a high school graduate."

Unlike most Patriot Academy students, Jean did not drop out of high school.

"Dustin was home-schooled through the Baptist Church in Union and unfortunately they are not accredited with a lot of the home-school programs," said Sgt. 1st Class William Schumaker, a National Guard recruiter based in St. Clair. "So for Dustin to enlist in the military he would have had to transfer from the church school to Union High School to get an accredited diploma, or we have the Patriot Academy."

Those accepted by the academy first attend basic military training then complete the necessary course of study to earn a high school diploma. The academy curriculum includes dual credit courses for college, 8 hours of community service and some basic military training. After graduation, each Soldier attends advanced individual training for whatever military occupational specialty they have chosen.

For Jean and his parents, Wendy and Michael, the Patriot Academy seemed like a nice fit.

"Once I learned more about (the academy) it sounded really awesome," Dustin said. "I'm looking forward to it."

"We are very excited about the opportunities that the academy will offer Dustin," said Michael Jean. "I like the fact that he will get full time pay while he attends the academy. I've always been loyal to the military. I've always admired military people. The military provides discipline and stability for the future. By the time Dustin is through with the academy he'll be ready for college and the military will provide some financial resources for that, so I have no apprehension."

Dustin, who plays four musical instruments and runs a mile in less than 7 minutes, wants to first become an Army mechanic and then a military police officer.

"Dustin is an awesome young man," Schumaker said. "He comes from a nice family, he's physically fit - he is definitely the kind of person the National Guard is looking for."

For more information about the Patriot Academy visit www.NGPatriotAcademy.com .