Chatham Teacher Honored For Military Service

CHATHAM, NJ - Chatham High School social studies teacher Ron Deloatch has another acknowledgement to celebrate as the four-time teacher of the year was honored for his military service by the School District of the Chathams Board of Education.

Superintendent Michael LaSusa said that Deloatch, a Brooklyn native, has devoted 34 years of service to the country. LaSusa said Deloatch enlisted in the U.S. Army while attending the City College of New York and later transferred to the U.S. National Guard.

"Mr. Deloatch has steadily gained promotion through the National Guard command
structure. He recently gained appointment to the position and rank of Command Colonel for the 254th Regiment, headquartered in Sea Girt," LaSusa said. "It is worth noting that there are only six command Colonels in all of New Jersey. It is also worth noting that Sea Girt is the premier National Guard training unit, where National Guard, Army Reserve, and active-duty U.S. Army members receive training."

LaSusa said that over the past eighteen years Deloatch has been called away from his job as social studies teacher at CHS numerous times to serve.

"He was called up to help protect our country in both 2001 and 2002, after the 9/11 attacks. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008 for Operation Enduring Freedom. And he was called away to assist the victims of both Hurricane Sandy here in New Jersey in 2012 and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico last year," LaSusa said. "Over this same period of time, Mr. Deloatch has been voted the CHS Teacher of the Year four different times by the graduating seniors of Chatham High School."

When speaking to the Board of Education and those assembled, Deloatch was quick to share credit for his accomplishments.

"I just want to say this, none of this would have been possible without my wife (Allyson) who is here tonight supporting me. She's been with me from beginning. We met at City College and we got married after we decided I was going to go into the military," Deloatch said. "We've been through this entire military experience together and I think that this is the reason I've been successful not only in the military but here as well. I just want to say thank you. Thank you for the recognition, I appreciate it."

You can see LaSusa's remarks and Deloatch's comments around the 15 minute mark in the video below.

(Photo courtesy of YouTube)

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