meet our instructors!
SENior army instructor
Lieutenant colonel (ret) victor diaz
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Victor M. Diaz, Jr., a native of El Paso, Texas is a graduate of New Mexico Military Institute and Cameron University. He is currently the Senior Army Instructor (SAI) at Alamo Heights High School. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Director Army Instruction (DAI) within the El Paso Independent School District. He served his country for 25 years on active duty as an Air Defense Artillery officer.
He served in several Air Defense Artillery assignments in the Federal Republic of Germany, Fort Bliss, Texas, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Fort Hood, Texas, and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In these assignments, he held position of a Platoon Leader, Battery Executive Officer, Battery Commander, Battalion Assistant S-3, Battalion Executive Officer, Brigade S-4, Chief, Air Defense Artillery Division as an Advisor to the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces and Commander of the Improved HAWK Detachment training Egyptian and Singaporean officers on the HAWK Missile System.
Additionally, he was assigned to United States Military Academy at West Point, NY; Professor of Military Science and Department Chair, Siena College located at Loudonville, NY; Director of Marketing, Operations and Public Affairs, 1st ROTC Region, Fort Bragg, NC; and the Senior Army Instructor at CPT John L. Chapin High School, El Paso, Texas.
Lieutenant Colonel Diaz graduated from several military schools to include the Air Defense Basic and Advanced Courses, HAWK Missile System Course, Combined Arms Service Staff School, and the Command and General Staff College. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Management from Webster University.
His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Parachutist Badge, and the Ranger Tab.
He is married to Ms. Grace Diaz and together they have two children, Victor Michael and Stacie.
army instructor
Sergeant Major (RET)
Jerald E. Phillips
Sergeant Major Jerald E. Phillips is a native of Compton, California. He entered the U.S Army in February of 1992 and attended Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He completed his Advanced Individual Training in Logistics at Fort Lee, Virginia. His served for over 31 years.
Sergeant Major Phillips has been assigned to various locations which include; Fulda, Germany, Fort Hood, TX, Schofield Barracks, HI, Fort McClellan, AL, Fort Lewis, WA, Johnstown, PA, Reading, PA, back to Fort Lewis, WA, Fort Lee, VA, Mesa, AZ, Fort Meade, MD, and Fort Eustis, VA. He deployed to Uzbekistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) to Iraq.
Sergeant Major Phillips’ instructional background began in 2004 as an Army Instructor at the Henry H. Lind Non-Commissioned Officer Academy at Fort Lewis, WA. He earned his certification as a STRYKER Land Systems instructor, being certified to instruct on 5 of the 10 STRYKER variants.
His awards and decorations include: the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (3rd award), Army Commendation Medal (11th award), Army Achievement Medal (6th award), Good Conduct Medal (9th award), National Defense Service Medal (2nd award), Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (2nd award), Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (5th award), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (4th award), Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, Army Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Superior Unit Award, Air Assault badge, Distinguished Order of Saint Martin Medal, the U.S Army Recruiter Badge, and the Army Driver Mechanic Badge (2nd award).
He is married to Lauren (Army retired First Sergeant) and together they have three children: Daniel, David, and Darius. Sergeant Major Phillips became part of the Alamo Heights JROTC in February 2023 and was officially assigned as the Army Instructor in July 2023.
