During his career in the military and law enforcement, Deputy Nathaniel Sitsler has protected numerous high-profile individuals within the United States government and various foreign dignitaries. Sitsler is now bringing his years of experience and desire to protect others to San Marcos Academy, where he was recently named the new School Resource Officer (SRO).
Sitsler officially began his new position Jan. 25, replacing former SRO Daniel Weber, who resigned at the end of the fall semester to work with a private medical company and spend more time with his wife and baby daughter.
After his first week on the job, Sitsler said he was very impressed with SMA and has appreciated the warm welcome.
“I have felt very welcomed by the faculty and student body,” Dep. Sitsler said. “I never thought I would apply to be an SRO, but I’m looking forward to the opportunity to serve here and be a positive representative of the law enforcement profession.”
An Oregon native, Sitsler enlisted in the United States Air Force following his graduation from high school. He had been a student at a military boarding school for a while and wanted to pursue a military career. Once in the Air Force, Sitsler attended Basic Military Training and Technical Training for Security Forces at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.
Sitsler’s first duty station was Royal Air Force Mildenhall (RAFM) in the United Kingdom. While stationed at RAFM, Sitsler progressed from Entry Controller to Security Response Team Leader and also deployed to Camp Bucca, Iraq to support Operation Iraqi Freedom as a Fire Team Leader for a Quick Reaction Force. He returned to the UK for another year at RAFM before being assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) in Ohio as a Law Enforcement Patrolman.
During his six years in Ohio, Sitsler served on personal security details for several high-profile visitors to the state, including a seated President of the United States, various senators and congressmen, and all three Apollo 11 astronauts, who visited WPAFB’s Air and Space Museum during a 40th anniversary ceremony of the moon landing. Sitsler also deployed from WPAFB to support Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa. Promoted to Staff Sergeant, Sitsler became a shift supervisor and instructor at the base, teaching advanced law enforcement tactics and security functions.
In 2014, Sitsler left active duty and moved back to Oregon for a change of scenery. Still serving in the Air Force Reserves, he worked in a lumber mill while seeking a job in law enforcement. Not finding any good options in his home state, Sitsler moved to Texas in 2016 and signed on with the Hays County Sheriff’s Office. He began in the Jail Division as a Corrections Officer, and was later transferred to the Patrol Division. He has logged more than 500 hours as a field training officer and is on track to earn his bachelor’s degree in the spring of 2021.
Although an Oregon boy at heart, Sitsler said Texas is growing on him and his family, which includes his wife, a son and a daughter.
“My main interest at SMA is to provide a safe and secure learning environment for the faculty and student body,” Sitsler said. “Along with fortifying the campus, I believe it is equally imperative to build a positive relationship between law enforcement and the future adults of the community.”