Arceneaux is a Seguin Cougar, airman, husband and dad
There are many things that make educators in Arlington ISD heroes in and out of the classroom.
For Seguin High School assistant principal and Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Chris Arceneaux, it’s his dedication to serving our country.
With nearly 27 years of service – 15 of those while in Arlington ISD – his story is one of commitment, leadership and bravery.
“Arlington ISD has been home to me since 2010,” Arceneaux said. “Since then, I have been deployed twice and activated for several temporary duty assignments varying in lengths.”
Arceneaux also serves as the senior advisor to his squadron commander, mentoring company grade officers and senior noncommissioned officers. Since starting his Air Force career in 1998, he has served in 11 countries, completed six deployments and undertaken over 60 temporary assignments.
“I’ve learned something new from each mission and developed a deep appreciation for what our country offers,” he said. “No matter how bad the climate is within the continental U.S., from my perspective we still have it better. This is part of the reason I still serve – to do my part to help protect and preserve our ways of life.”
His most recent deployment took him to Saudi Arabia in March of last year. Since returning from the Middle East, he has been working on active duty locally as the senior enlisted leader for the 301st Civil Engineer Squadron at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, where he mentors his team and ensures they are ready for any mission – just like he does at Seguin.
“My Seguin family has been super supportive, though my absence put a strain on day-to-day operations,” Arceneaux said. “Their sacrifices and diligence with ensuring my duties were covered and families under my alpha split were served well is unwavering. I’m forever grateful for being part of the Seguin admin team.”
And they’re grateful for him.
“When he is on campus, his impact is immense due to his willingness to be on the frontline, just like in the military, serving our students, staff and parents that make up the Seguin Nation community,” said Seguin principal Billy Linson. “We are thankful for his commitment and willingness to serving our nation’s military.”
But he’s more than just a Cougar and an airman. He’s also husband and a dad.
“He is a man of integrity and strength,” said his wife and Arlington ISD guidance and counseling coordinator Stephanie Arceneaux. “Serving his family at home and his school family, he continues to be the example of preparation and hard work. A quote that he follows is, ‘There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure,’ by Colin Powell. I see every aspect of this day in and day out from him.” 
Stephanie Arceneaux’s support has been pivotal to his success, and together, they are each other’s heroes.
“Without strong family support, I couldn’t be where I am today,” Chris Arceneaux said. “My wife Stephanie and I connected shortly after I joined. I couldn’t have continued this long without her. She becomes mom and dad to our six daughters when I am away. She maintains all aspects of managing our home and caring for our children all while fulfilling her responsibilities at work. To a reservist, the true heroes are our families and teams that are in the rear sustaining everything during our absences. I’ve been fortunate and blessed to have a strong support network from both.”
Arceneaux plans to rejoin Seguin as an assistant principal this spring, and Seguin Nation will be thankful to have him back.
“Very often I am, like many service members, thanked for our service,” he said. “My response to that thank you is always, ‘It’s honor to serve.’”