Shrewsbury – Chief Warrant Officer Eric Metcalf, formerly of Shrewsbury, is one of two Texas A&M students awarded this year's Tillman Military Scholarship. Family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation following Pat's death in 2004, while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. This year the foundation received 1,280 applicants. Eric was one of 59 outstanding candidates to join the fourth class of Tillman Military Scholars.
Throughout his career, Eric served numerous overseas deployments and was put in a wide array of assignments. But one experience as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot stands out in his mind. He had been in Afghanistan for just one month in 2004 when Tillman was killed and Eric was mirroring the path of the Blackhawk helicopter that returned Tillman to the main airfield so he could be flown back to the United States.
Eric has been inspired by hearing the stories of his grandfather's 15 months in a German POW camp; it was his grandfather's patriotism that motivated Eric to enter the Navy out of high school. He transferred to the Army and grew into a focused and motivated soldier, husband and father over a 20-year career. He plans to use his master's degree in wildlife science to transition from military life, eventually becoming a game warden with the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife. He also plans to use his training and education to educate the community, particularly youth, about conserving natural resources.
Eric is the son of David and Barbara Metcalf, of Shrewsbury. He graduated from Shrewsbury High in 1990.