IU Trustee To Play Larger Role In Indiana’s Health, Safety
By CPT. TERRY HEIFETZ
Indiana Guard Reserve Public Affairs
INDIANA — Philip N. Eskew Jr., an Indiana University trustee and alumnus, will now serve the state of Indiana in a new role, as a brigadier general in the Indiana Guard Reserve, Indiana’s state defense force.
Eskew has been a member of the Indiana Guard Reserve since 2001. Eskew was the first physician in the IGR and developed a medical unit capable of assisting the Indiana National Guard and the citizens of Indiana in the event of natural or manmade disaster.
“I hope to have the opportunity to actively implement and evaluate this process and develop it even further,” Eskew said. “The bottom line is that I volunteer and give back because I have been given so much. This is one way of doing that.”
Eskew has already given a lot to Hoosiers as a doctor and teacher, Rotary Club organizer and Carmel school board member. He received a Sagamore of the Wabash in 1996 and the St. Vincent Hospital Distinguished Physician Award in 2000. “I enjoy teaching and mentoring others as well as helping others achieve their goals,” Eskew said.
IGR Brig. Gen. Hal Grigdesby says Eskew has already contributed so much to the state of Indiana. This new position will only strengthen his legacy. “From organizing the move of St. Vincent hospital to its current location to mentoring dozens of residents and medical students, Phil has proven he can accomplish big things,” Grigdesby said. “Now, we’re sure he’ll help the IGR be ready for whatever Hoosiers may face in the future.”
The Indiana Guard Reserve is a community-based military organization that supplements the Indiana National Guard within the State of Indiana. For more information about the IGR, visit in.gov/igr.