Garrah – The Winners Circle – Naples Style

Lieutenant Colonel Paul Garrah (Ret) is a step up and stand out type of man. As much as we honor him for his service to our Country, his service didn’t end with retirement, he just changed the focus.

Paul served on active duty for 22 years as an enlisted soldier, a noncommissioned office and after graduation from Officer Candidate School – a commissioned officer.

He had a colorful and exciting career which included the Pentagon (Joint Chiefs of Staff), Panama, Korea and Germany. He also participated
in the NATO peace enforcement operations is Bosnia.

His primary military career duties were in the Tactical Telecommunications and Latin American Foreign Area Officer Fields.

While at the Pentagon, Lieutenant Colonel Garrah served as a Central and South American Intelligence Analyst for the Defense Intelligence Agency.

In San Antonio he served as the Fifth U.S. Army Liaison Officer to Mexico. Lieutenant Colonel Garrah has been awarded the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, multiple Army Commendation Medals and Meritorious Service Medals. Paul has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in administration.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul Garrah

Originally from Maryland, Paul has been in Naples since 2004 and is in his eleventh year as an educator in the Collier County school system. Paul began with a nine year stint with the JROTC in Golden Gate High School and now has been with Naples High in the same capacity for the last two years.

Lieutenant Colonel Garrah believes that cultivating close ties with the community is one of the keys to success in the classroom. He is also quick to point out that grooming
his students for success in whatever path they choose is his focus. Paul and his wife Beverly did not have children of their own but “adopted” the more than 1,500 students who he has taught and mentored.

His list of civic involvement is impressive and includes: selected as Teacher of Distinction by The Education Foundation of Collier County, the first JROTC instructor selected as the Citizenship Education Teacher of the year for the State of Florida (grades 9-12) by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Recognized by the Leadership Collier Foundation as the first person to be presented the James V. Mudd award for leadership and contributions to our community, a graduate of GNL, recognized by Naples North Rotary as a Paul Harris Fellow for Community Involvement and Service Above Self, honored by the Education Foundation as a Man of Distinction, selected by the Collier Bar Association as a Medal of Honor recipient for contributions to the community and career professionalism.

Paul believes that it is not what you make and take in life that matters but what you give and share. Thank you for your service to America and for your continued contribution to Collier County. Paul defines the true definition of Leadership, A true Winner Naples Style.

Stay tuned for Part 2 to learn more about Paul and the JROTC.