EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – U.S. Navy Commander Pat Dillon is back to being UW-Extension employee Pat Dillon.
A regional director for the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network since 2005, she also has been in the military reserve for more than 34 years.
Commander Dillon was called into active duty to serve from August 2011 to August 2012 as a member of the NATO Training Mission in Kabul, Afghanistan. As deputy for training and operations, she led a team of 33 U.S. Department of Defense staff, military personnel and contractors. They trained nearly 1,000 members of the Afghan National Army intelligence force to gather and analyze intelligence to support Afghanistan’s fight against the insurgencies.
“It was a very rich and rewarding experience – and scary at times,” she said. After an Afghan killed two U.S. military personnel sitting in their offices, Dillon was given additional training on the use of her pistol and semi-automatic rifle. She wore her helmet and body armor all the time and was grateful she never had to use her weapons.
She is back in civilian garb and working at her Eau Claire office as a regional director for the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network, www.wenportal.org, part of the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s entrepreneurship and economic development division. Dillon has extensive experience in the federal Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs and is a recipient of the prestigious Small Business Administration Tibbett’s Award. Reach her at dillonp@uwec.edu or 715-836-5056.
Contact:
Pat Dillon
(715) 836-5056
dillonp@uwec.edu