PEORIA (25News Now) – Army Reserve Capt. Jonathan Eyler is adding “licensed barber” to his already stacked portfolio.
Eyler enlisted in the Army Reserve’s 420th Medical Detachment as a medic in 2003 to help pay for nursing school.
So far, he has been working for 21 years. The first 9 years as a medic and the next 12 years as a soldier.
Eyler was mobilized twice. The first time was to Boston during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the second time was to Kuwait.
Eyler has worked as a nurse in the Peoria area for more than 15 years.
Already established in two career fields, he wanted to take his passion for haircutting to a professional level.
“I cut my own hair all through high school. I cut my friends’ hair. In a way, it’s like an art form and I enjoy it,” Eyler said.
He attended barber school in Peoria and graduated in December 2023.
Just five days later, Eyler was sent to Kuwait for a nine-month expedition. He brought barber tools to improve his skills.
“Once they all got back to the barracks, I had a little place set up for them. I gave everyone a little cheap buzzcut so they would be compliant when they all came back from vacation. We did it all for free,” Eyler said.
(Photo of haircut in barracks)
Eyler returned to the U.S. mainland in September. His friend Troy Ford, owner of the Ford Barber Club in Peoria, had a job waiting for him.
“It’s not unusual for a nurse to become a hairdresser. So why can’t a nurse become a barber?” Ford said. “In that healthcare field, we make patients feel good on the inside. Whether it’s barbers or cosmetologists, we make them feel good on the outside.”
Eyler said he expects more service members to take advantage of educational benefits to pursue their careers and goals.
“I take a detour in everything, but that’s okay. From being a doctor to nursing school, I just established a way to help people,” Eyler said. “Any veteran can walk through here without knowing who we are, but as soon as they find out we are veterans too, everything changes. becomes more comfortable.”
25News lets you stream every news show live, anywhere, on 25NewsNow.com, the 25News mobile app, and the WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how to connect to 25News streaming live news.
Copyright 2024 WEEK. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
