MEA member Kossi Komlassan has led soldiers in combat and teenagers in math class.

Both of those identities recently came together in one room at Beaverton Junior/Senior High School (BJSHS) when the third-year educator received a promotion in the Michigan Army National Guard in a ceremony before his family, school community, and the sophomores he teaches.

Komlassan advanced from Captain to Major, a rise from company-grade to field-grade officer, which he compared to going from senior teacher to principal. “It means the world to me that my leadership saw the potential in me to take on that much more responsibility,” Komlassan said.

A native of Togo in West Africa, Komlassan immigrated to the U.S. in second grade and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. After nearly 10 years of U.S. Army active duty, living out a dream to serve his country, he enlisted in the National Guard and settled near Midland with his wife and two children.

His unique life experiences have equipped him to teach math in a way that even reluctant learners can embrace, he says. As a youngster who did not speak English, Komlassan spent his early years in school struggling to understand academic content—except when math time rolled around.

“It was the only class that made sense, because mathematics is a universal language,” he said.

He teaches geometry in addition to his Guard duties, sometimes using scenarios from his time as an artillery officer to demonstrate concepts such as angles and distance. “That application of geometry helps them understand terminology and how important it is to make correct calculations.”

His greatest reward is seeing students grow from fearful to confident. “I know that everyone can learn math, so it makes me super excited when I see a kid get it. I think, Yeah—you’ve always known this.”

Komlassan began as an officer after completing Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) while earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics on a track and football scholarship at Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois. There he met wife Rebecca, a Michigan native who became a pastor.

He deployed overseas in Korea and in Iraq, where he led a combat unit of 12 soldiers during the battle for the Iraqi city of Mosul—the largest urban battle since World War II. Komlassan was in charge of artillery, mortars, attack aviation and fixed-wing aviation.

He has learned about leadership from both his military and education roles, he says. Teenagers are not much different than young soldiers, but he reminds himself that students need guidance to learn from mistakes while wrong choices can mean life-or-death consequences for soldiers.

“Under any circumstances, a good leader has to know that—however you feel—your attitude and the non-verbal, physical cues you’re giving will permeate throughout the organization.”

Komlassan also learned the importance of empathy in leadership from an ROTC instructor in college who once paid for his airfare to Georgia when he couldn’t afford to go home for Christmas. “That act had such a significant impact on my life,” he said.

He loves the military’s camaraderie and brings that ethos to his classroom. “I always remind myself of that impact I can have with a kid like me, who didn’t have as much money. Every student has potential to be a great citizen and have a life that’s beneficial to the community.”

BJSHS Principal Renee Inscho said after the ceremony—which was attended by sophomores and live-streamed to other classes—Komlassan teaches students about more than math.

“He knows all about leadership, commitment, and getting the job done well,” Inscho said. “He’s an excellent role model for our kids, and it’s a proud day for Beaverton Schools.”