From Camouflage to Classroom: What my Army career taught me about teaching

On George Vlachonikolis’ 25th birthday, he was holding an SA80 assault rifle. Inside his webbing pouches were 150 rounds of ammunition, two HE grenades, two smoke grenades, a small survival kit, 20 Marlboro Lights, and a medikit that included two sticks of morphine and two tourniquets. Strapped to the left-hand side of his Osprey body armour, within easy reach, was his bayonet. George was in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

On George’s 37th birthday, he was wearing a striped cotton twill shirt and well-ironed beige chinos. A thin fabric lanyard carried his ID badge proudly. In front of him was a class of secondary school students, who were settling down and getting ready for their next lesson. George was in a school in the UK.

From Camouflage to Classroom is about everything George learned with the Army in Afghanistan and has brought to his classroom teaching today. By reflecting on the most intense and thought-provoking experiences of his life, George aims to explore the role of the classroom teacher from an original perspective: one based on military principles and practice. This book takes a direct, human and very honest look at the challenges faced by classroom teachers today and offers some military-inspired solutions.