Title: Naval Science Instructor
Company: Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps at Coventry High School
Location: Barrington, Rhode Island, United States
Chad J. Abel, naval science instructor with the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps at Coventry High School, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in military education.
For nearly 30 years, Mr. Abel has leveraged his military experience, leadership and self-discipline to facilitate success and growth in others. This professional journey began in 1996 when he joined the U.S. Navy as an aviation electronics technician. Affiliated with the Navy for more than 25 years, Mr. Abel achieved the rank of chief petty officer and contributed as a drill instructor. He retired from military service in 2022.
Driven by an ambitious and entrepreneurial mindset, Mr. Abel has explored further career options alongside his time in the Navy. Most notably, he has founded Topsider Woodworks and Topsider Marketing. Through the former, Mr. Abel creates high-quality custom woodworking, including tables, bookcases and more. With Topsider Marketing, he has specialized in affiliate marketing since 2018.
Building off his Navy experiences, Mr. Abel has served as a senior naval science instructor at Coventry High School since 2022. As part of this role, he has developed the school’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) program from scratch. Mr. Abel teaches teamwork, self-discipline, successful habits, public speaking and career development. He also helps plan various events for the program and maintains community relations.
Though Mr. Abel’s career has been filled with memorable moments, he is particularly proud of his leadership of a drill team. His team was initially referred to as “the Bad News Bears” due to its lack of organization, but he helped them accomplish a first-place finish in a competitive color guard competition, rocketing them to national recognition. Mr. Abel’s steady hand for guidance is also apparent in the growth of the NJROTC program at Coventry High School. In just a few years, he has grown the program’s recruitment rate by almost 60% year over year.
Mr. Abel’s professional and military journeys have been supported by his academic background. He obtained an Associate of Science in electrical and electronics engineering from Vincennes University in 2010. Subsequently, Mr. Abel earned a bachelor’s degree in business entrepreneurship, graduating magna cum laude from The University of Arizona in 2020. He is certified as a master training specialist in the U.S. Navy.
To commemorate his accomplishments, Mr. Abel has been honored with a number of accolades. As a result of his military service, he was presented with a Humanitarian Service Medal, a Joint Meritorious Unit Award, a Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, multiple Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. Mr. Abel was named Teacher of the Year by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Rhode Island. He marks this award as one of the greatest highlights of his life.
Recognized for his skill at giving meaningful life advice, Mr. Abel was encouraged by his students to explore other methods for spreading his lessons. Inspired by that, he has established accounts on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. As a content creator, Mr. Abel seeks to instill in viewers the motivation to push themselves and improve their lives. He points to several books that provide the basis for his philosophy, including “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey and “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John C. Maxwell.
Beyond his vocational endeavors, Mr. Abel has been a devoted husband for 24 years and is a loving father to two children, 22-year-old Danielle and 26-year-old Dylan. He enjoys writing, playing golf and motorcycling in his free time. Looking ahead, Mr. Abel plans to continue teaching while also working at growing his marketing, social media and content creation efforts. He hopes these avenues can help uplift people. Mr. Abel also intends to find further ways to give back to the community, including partnering with a local grocery store to donate Thanksgiving dinners to families experiencing hardships.
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