MILES CITY — With graduation around the corner, students at Custer County District High School in Miles City heard from U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy on Monday, who spoke about military service and college opportunities through the nation’s service academies.
“One way to go into (the) military and one way to go to college is the service academies,” said Sheehy, a Republican, to students. “So, if you want to get a college education, you want to get a four-year degree, but you don’t want to take out a large student loan — that’s one way to go to college.”
The visit was part of a statewide school tour organized with the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Susie Hedalen, the state superintendent of public instruction, noted the timeliness of the events.
“It’s that time of year where students are thinking about what they’re gonna do next,” said Hedalen, a Republican. “Montana, some years we don’t have applicants, or (do not) have all of our applicant spots full.”
Sheehy also shared personal anecdotes from his military service, including his time stationed overseas.
“I was 19 years old. So, back home in America, I was not allowed to drink alcohol, but I found out in Georgia (the Eastern European country) what vodka tastes like, and Georgian vodka tastes a lot different than American vodka, I can tell you that,” Sheehy, a former Navy Seal, said to students.
Outside the event, protesters supported by the group Indivisible gathered to address concerns, including federal budget cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), hoping for face time with Sheehy.
Mary Catherine Dunphy, who helped organize the demonstration, criticized Sheehy for not engaging with the group.
“He should be talking to us. We don’t bite,” said Dunphy. “I understand he’s a former Navy SEAL and you have to be kind of a tough guy to be a Navy SEAL — and we don’t know why he’s afraid to meet with us.”
Some parents reportedly pulled their students from school over the event, while others noted the importance of hearing different opinions.
Multiple community members said students were instructed “not to ask political questions.” School officials maintained that the directive was standard for all assemblies and that the visit was focused on leadership, not politics.
“Overall, (the demonstrators) were positive. They said they would like to visit with him,” said Hedalen.
Sheehy declined an interview with MTN and left the event without addressing the protesters directly. When leaving, he remarked to those chanting "we want a town hall" and holding signs by saying, “Oh, we just had a town hall. It was great.”
“If he refuses to answer questions, well, he can lecture us all he wants about what a good leader is, but a good leader talks to his constituents," said Dunphy.
