McHenry High School teacher and U.S. Air Force veteran Tim Kirk wasn’t one of those being honored during this year’s local Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.

Yet getting to go on the trip – accompanying more than 40 veterans and a group of students who were documenting their experience – was “quite an honor,” Kirk said.

“I wish everybody had a chance to do that,” Kirk said, calling it a “tremendous experience” to tour the Capitol’s memorials and enjoy the company of the other veterans.

McHenry High also hosts a stirring welcome-home ceremony for the veterans who join the excursion.

Kirk, who teaches computer science, said the Honor Flight inspired him to get involved with veterans groups – he joined the McHenry American Legion during the trip – and give back to fellow veterans. He’s also part of the Veterans Network Committee of Northern Illinois, the group that puts on the Honor Flight.

Kirk said he believes he got approached to accompany the travelers because he’s a veteran, having served in the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Air National Guard from 1985 to 1993.

He was stationed stateside during his service, with stops in northern Maine; Battle Creek, Michigan, which was during the Desert Storm years; and Florida.

Kirk said teaching was his “probably fifth career” since leaving the armed forces.

He originally wanted to go into physical therapy after he left the Air Force, but found it was too much schooling and he didn’t want to do the “medical side of things.”

He went to college for a couple of years before pivoting to a bodybuilding gym for a couple years. After that, he went back to school before switching gears again to work for Marriott for seven years.

But after years of working weekends and holidays, Kirk again changed course and got into computer networking. He landed a job in Georgia.

After that, Kirk went back to his home state of Michigan and finished his degree. He then worked for an internet service provider, Comcast and a small tech firm.

But, he said, “I always wanted to teach. My mom was an elementary school teacher.” He took two years of classes at Western Michigan University and has been in education ever since.

When asked how his military background intersects with his teaching career, Kirk said students give more respect when they find out he’s a veteran.