A push to help veterans become teachers.

(Maria Vega) I just love teaching.

-Maria Vega teaches Emergency Medical Services at Veterans Tribute Career & Technical Academy.

-I love the interaction that we have, and I love the fact that they're learning and the fact that they are going to be using what they're learning here in the outside.

-It's a career close to her heart... -I was in the Army for 20 years.

I was a medic.

-...and so is teaching.

-I actually joined the Army because I wanted to get money for college and then be a teacher, but I just happened to fall in love with the Army.

By the time I retired, I was like, well, I guess it is time now to be a teacher.

-But not everyone has a clear career path when leaving the military.

The transition to civilian life can be hard.

(George Ann Rice) And part of that is, again, the 70% who don't know what they want to do.

So we want to give them that direction even before they leave the service.

-George Ann Rice with Patriots to Education, a nonprofit that addresses the nation's teacher shortage by introducing former military and their spouses to careers in schools.

-We're like Troops to Teachers 2.0, because they only went after veterans to let them know who wanted to be teachers.

We're after all military connected people for any job in public education.

-Rice and her team are working with the Clark County School District.

(Jason Ginoza) We have a few military bases here in Clark County.

-Assistant Human Resources Officer Jason Ginoza.

-They committed a portion of their lives to serving others, and I believe that that's what we do.

We serve our community.

We serve our students.

We serve our family.

I do think it's in alignment.

(Tommie Hayes) 27 years in the military, 23 years for the school district; 50 years.

-When Senior Chief Tommie Hayes left the Navy... -You know, I didn't know nothing about this ROTC business.

[miliary cadence] -But he found a rewarding second career in the classroom, becoming a legend at El Dorado High School teaching JROTC.

-You got to love what you're doing, because if you don't have the love for the, for what you're doing, the caring, then it's not gonna be for you.

Just the kids, I love the kids.

-Back at Veterans Tribute, Vega agrees... -I just love to be able to influence the kids in a positive way.

-...and encourages former military to consider teaching.

-So if they love serving, and they're going to love teaching.

So go for it.

You'll love it, because I love it.

-Thank you for your service, and thank you for what you're doing for our students.