Servicemember Spotlight

 RONALD PETTIGREW
Academic Adviser
Western Ilinois University

An academic adviser at Western Illinois University, Ronald Pettigrew has been involved in the military all his life. He began his military service after high school when he joined the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Southern California. Following his graduation from college, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy, and has had consistent military presence ever since, with 11 years of active duty and 11 years as a drilling reservist.

A large portion of his military career has involved duty at sea or overseas. He has served eight years of sea duty for the Navy and five years on deployed assignments abroad. Prior to his most recent deployment as a WIU employee, he was deployed overseas for a year as a WIU graduate student.

Pettigrew is currently based out of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C. He serves as Navy chaplain and commanding officer of a marine expeditionary religious unit that provides direct support to military recruits and recruiters within the eastern recruiting region. In a recent deployment, working on behalf of the chaplain of the Marines, he was assigned to provide pastoral counseling and assistance to individuals and families working through grief. “During my time away, I was responsible for providing support for all U.S. military casualties killed in action overseas,” he said. “As part of the Navy/Marine Corps Casualty Liaison Team located within the mortuary affairs office at Dover Air Force Base, I provided grief and support counseling for over 180 family members, and escorts for 18 casualties.”

In his civilian life, he is an academic adviser for Western Illinois’ board of trustees Bachelor of Arts degree program, which is geared towards nontraditional students, including veterans and full-time workers. The program offers them the opportunity to earn an undergraduate degree that complements their educational needs and lifestyles. Through a general education curriculum, students can align their interests with the classes they take while completing their degree.

Pettigrew received his own undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California. After five years of active duty service as a surface welfare officer, he resigned his commission as a line officer, enrolled at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and became a Naval chaplain. He then served as a pastor in the Quad Cities for four years and worked as a Reserve chaplain before returning to active duty and becoming a Navy chaplain. Then he returned to the reserves to complete his studies and earn his Master of Science in college student personnel at Western Illinois.

Other advisers in the department helped while Pettigrew was deployed by taking over his workload. They also kept in contact through e-mail and phone calls, checking in on Pettigrew and his family from time to time.

Pettigrew said that the most difficult part of coming back was trying to find time to slow down after being involved with a fast-paced military schedule that involved constant tasks and thinking about what next needed to be done. Outside of work, he is enjoying time with his family and finding time to relax. His oldest son, Josh Jefferson, graduated from Western Illinois this past May with plans of possibly going into the military as well.

“Although I came back into the busy registering period, all has gone well,” reported Pettigrew. “The student and staff support has been amazing. Without their support, I know I would not have been able to make . . . the transition back and continue my military service. The university is very supportive and military-friendly.” ♦

Written by Jared Dye, this article, reprinted with permission and edited for clarity and length, first appeared in Beyond the Bell Tower.

Nominate yourself or someone you know as the subject of a future Servicemember Spotlight feature by contacting Mark Fitzgerald at markf@kmimediagroup.

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