Senior Army Instructor for the Thunderbird Battalion and Instructs the LET III and LET IV Cadets in the battalion. MAJ Elkins is a former Marine that served as an avionics technician / aircraft electrician on a AV-8B Harrier aircraft. As an Army Officer, he served in the Military Police Branch and held many positions and served in many assignments around the world.

Sergeant First Class (SFC) Anthony D. Gann is from Vernon, Alabama, and joined the Alabama National Guard in 1996 and turned Active Army in 2000. SFC Gann’s assignments include Fort Bragg, Fort Bliss, Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Joint Base Lewis McChord, Schofield Barracks, and Fort Irwin. SFC Gann’s deployments include tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. SFC Gann holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and an Associate of Science in Electronics. His Military education includes all three Noncommissioned Officer Development schools as well as specialized training in Cold Weather Orientation Course, Joint Fires Observation, Joint fire Power Course, Company Intelligence Support Team, and Master Resiliency Trainer, just to name a few. Some of SFC Gann’s awards include the Army Commendation Medal (6th Award), Army Achievement Medal (3rd Award), Army Good Conduct Medal (7th Award), National Defense Medal (with Star), Iraq Campaign Medal (3 Stars), Global War Expedition Medal, Global War On Terrorism Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal and possesses qualification badges for Combat Action, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge. His distinguished service earned him branch honors in the Field Artillery field in the Order of St. Maurice, and St. Barbera. SFC Gann is married with a daughter, and two dogs, and seeks to continue the sharing of his knowledge and experience as the LET 2 instructor and Coach of the PT competition teams and Rifle Team.

First Sergeant (Ret) Watts served 26 years in the U.S. Army. After graduating from Advanced Individual Training, Fort Gordon, Georgia as a Tactical Circuit Controller, he was assigned an assemblage team chief with the 16th Signal Battalion, 3rd Signal Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas the rank of PFC in February 1983. First Sergeant Watts has held every leadership position as an enlisted Signaleer including three tours as a First Sergeant with duty assignments at the 11th Signal Detachment and the Headquarters and Headquarters Company for 2nd Signal Brigade, 5th Signal Command, Germany; and the 21st Signal Company (Mobile Subscriber Equipment), 172d Infantry Brigade (Separate), Fort Richardson, Alaska. His final assignment was the Senior Network Operations NCO, ACof S G3 Network Enterprise Technology Command 9th Signal Command (Army), where he assisted in coordinating the efforts of over 150 military and civilian personnel in the day-to-day operations supporting the Global War on Terrorism.

His awards and decorations include the Army Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, The Army Commendation Medal, The Army Achievement Medal, The NCO Professional Development Ribbon (three devices attached) and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. First Sergeant Watts was honorarily inducted to The Old Guard, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, Fort Myer, Virginia for his contributions to the U.S. Army and Army JROTC. He currently serves as the Assistant JROTC Instructor for first-year JROTC cadets, Competition Drill Team Coach, community service, and color guard scheduling coordinator.