By: Mark Morales, Sara Murray, Bob Ortega, Jeremy Herb, Haley Britzky, Allison Gordon
Retired Staff Sgt. Ryan Marti enlisted in the Army National Guard before he even graduated high school, just like his football coach and teacher, future Minnesota governor Tim Walz. Another of Walz’s former students, Lt. Col. Jonathan Jaqua, also joined the Guard after graduating from Mankato West High School in southern Minnesota.