An army veteran and teacher bring a new attitude to the classroom after serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Captain Blaze McCombie - is known to students at Central Cambria High School as Mr. McCombie. The National Guardsman recently finished an 18-month duty in Iraq but is happy to be back in the classroom with new and returning students.

McCombie said, "42 of my students wrote me emails throughout the year to tell me how my son was doing and what they were doing."

McCombie says the emails meant a lot to him but it's time for math.

He said, “I remember doing some algebra lessons with some of my soldiers. I was having a ball doing that and it just made me feel right back at home.”

Now though Mr.McCombie is back in the classroom he doesn't plan to talk about his soldier experiences until the students are settled in school.