MAJ Joel Dykstra grew up in Grand Rapids Michigan. He studied German and Spanish as an undergraduate at Calvin College and Grand Valley State University.  He received his M.A. in Spanish literature from Michigan State University. In 1993 he moved to Albuquerque to pursue a Ph.D. in Medieval Spanish literature at U.N.M. He is currently A.B.D. He has taught college level Spanish since 1990 at various schools. He studied in Spain twice and has travel experience in Germany, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. In 1999 he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a linguist. He served for six years and was deployed to Iraq with the First Cavalry Division. He teaches Spanish and Arabic at N.M.M.I.