LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Having grown up with the nickname of “Mr. Mouth,” Master Sgt. Scott Nimmer, of the Missouri Air National Guard, isn’t the least bit shy when it comes to dispensing advice.
Now, as a finalist in the Good Morning America Advice Guru contest, Nimmer might soon be dispensing that advice to a nationwide television audience.
A teacher by trade, Nimmer decided to enter the contest after moving from Cape Girardeau to Liberty Township, Ohio, where his wife, Amy, had been transferred by her employer.
“When we moved to Ohio in December I was not getting hired as a teacher because of the economy so I had a lot free time on my hands and watched a lot of Good Morning America,” Nimmer said. “I saw the promo for the contest and decided, on a whim, to enter.”
Nimmer was one of more than 15,000 viewers of the ABC network program to submit an application. Contestants were asked to state why they would make a good advice guru and were required to offer advice on three fictional scenarios.
The winner of the contest will be paid to dispense advice to GMA viewers both on the air and via e-mail.
“Three weeks ago I came home and my daughter said that some guy from Good Morning America had called,” Nimmer explained. “They did a phone interview with me and then asked me to send them a video answering three more questions. Then I got an e-mail saying they would announce the finalists on Nov. 29 so my wife and I watched and low and behold, there was my video and I was named one of 20 finalists.”
As an 18-year military veteran and having worked as both a middle and high school teacher, Nimmer believes he is uniquely qualified to give advice on a wide variety of topics.
“Oddly enough, my wife likes the idea of me giving advice to somebody else even though I never take advice from her,” Nimmer said smiling. “But really this seems a natural fit for me. I have a background of giving advice to everyone from 12-year-old kids to adults in the military. I’ve been to some 30 foreign countries and I’ve dealt with separation issues, so given that, and my military and educational background, it’s just instinct for me to provide advice and to try and point people in the right direction.”
Each of the 20 finalists was asked to submit a final video on how best to alleviate holiday stress. Nimmer said that, and other factors, will determine the contest winner, who will be named before Dec. 20.
“Until then I have the DVR set to record Good Morning America every day,” Nimmer said. “But, whether I get the job or not, it’s an honor to be a finalist out of 15,000 people.”
A 10-year Air Guard veteran, Master Sgt. Nimmer is first sergeant of the 157th Air Operations Group, headquartered at Jefferson Barracks in south St. Louis County.