Saint James School Honors its Military Legacy

by: Lt. Col. (retired) Dex McCain, Saint James School Board Chair

As we reflect on the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, I encourage you to pause and honor the service of the men and women who’ve dedicated their lives to serving our country.

These men and women swore oaths to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” They pledged “To bear true faith and allegiance to the same,” while taking “This obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion.”

The McCain family in 2010 (daughters Hope and Hannah in PreK4)

Inherent in this oath is an agreement between the uniformed members and their families stating: I am willing to serve, willing to uproot my family every three or four years, willing to deploy to hostile environments, willing to miss significant events in the lives of my family all to support our country.

As you can imagine, the life of a military family, and children in particular, can be challenging. From multiple moves and finding new schools to making new friends, all of this can be stressful. When a military family finds a welcoming school community that understands the uniqueness of military families and willingly supports the family on their educational journey, it’s an amazing partnership!

My family is incredibly blessed to have been part of Saint James School since my 10th graders were in Pre-K4. Time and time again, the Saint James community has supported my family through multiple deployments and temporary duty assignments. My family is proof positive that Saint James is the epitome of a welcoming school community.

The Saint James School Core Values of “Character, Commitment, Courage, and Community,” coupled with its mission statement to help students to “Realize their full potential and prepare them for lives of “responsibility, service, and achievement” aren’t accidental nor anecdotal words, rather they are enduring and purposeful. These words are ideals that draw on the principles of servant leadership, a leadership framework that many military professionals embody.

Dr. Raymond B. Furlong, one of Saint James School’s longest serving heads of school, was an outstanding servant leader who was uniquely qualified in understanding the importance of a great education and fostering relationship with the military community. Prior to joining Saint James, Dr. Furlong was Lieutenant General Furlong, the commander of Air University, where he was charged with providing professional military education, graduate level courses for continuing education for Air Force personnel, and preparing men and women for service in the Air Force. Clearly, he brought his military experience and vision to Saint James and helped STJ grow into the preeminent school that it is today by creating a diverse and inclusive school culture and community.

Lt. Col. McCain with his daughters, Hope and Hannah, and Dr. Larry McLemore at the 2019 Saint James School Veterans Day Assembly

Saint James School’s rich military history is seen throughout our Saint James family. We’ve had the honor and privilege to educate, coach, and mentor military children for decades, including many international families. I’m so proud that Saint James School recognizes the unique challenges that face military families. Whether it’s a zoom call from 7,000 miles away to allow a deployed parent to watch a play and see their children’s class presentation or honoring the service of their parents throughout the year, Saint James holds a special place among the military community.

I remain ever grateful for all that Saint James pours into our children, recognizing the uniqueness of each child and championing values such as character, courage, commitment and community while inspiring and preparing our students for lives of service, responsibility and achievement.

2021-22 STJ Board Chair, Lt. Col. Dex McCain

Lt Col Dex McCain (retired) served for 27 years in the United States Air Force before retiring in November of 2019. Currently, he serves as an Assistant Professor of Leadership and Ethics at the eSchool of Graduate Professional Military Education at Maxwell AFB. He also serves as the Board Chair for Saint James School Board of Trustees. Lt Col McCain and his wife, Yolanda, have two daughters, Hannah and Hope, who are in the 10th grade at Saint James School.

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