Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran stands ready to assist his fellow military members at Liberty’s Veterans Center

Most students who attend Liberty University residentially do so shortly after high school, but Peter Curran’s journey to campus came after military deployment overseas and a career in law enforcement.

Growing up, Curran always possessed a passion to serve in the military. This passion only increased when he was a high school freshman during the September 11 terrorist attacks. That moment solidified his desire to join the armed forces.

On the day of his high school graduation, Curran left his home in Norfolk, Mass., to begin basic training in the Marine Corps Reserves. In 2006, Curran was deployed as a forward infantry unit rifleman to Fallujah, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“It was our job to find the insurgents, flush them out, and keep the peace,” he said, “to keep them from threatening the local populace, disrupt IED operations, ambush operations, and intelligence operations.”

After returning home, Curran worked in law enforcement as a 911 dispatcher, training officer, and special officer.

“I loved it,” he said. “I was really good at it, and there was a brotherhood that was very similar to the Marine Corps within the law enforcement community.”

He left law enforcement in 2018 and said he slipped into a time of alcohol abuse. But in 2019, God got his attention.

“That was a turning point in my life where I surrendered to God and decided that I was going to quit drinking and turn my life around,” he said.

After spending three months in the hospital to recover from the damage that drug and alcohol did to his body and being treated for PTSD, Curran decided to earn his personal training certification. He said God continued to teach and heal him, and he felt called to use his testimony to help others.

“Knowing that I have that testimony is a very good barometer for other veterans to bounce off of if they need help, if they’re struggling, if they’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s like, ‘Hey man, I can relate because I’ve been through all of this ,and I can help you through that’ and just be a role model,” Curran said.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, Curran found himself with even more time in his life and made the decision to attend college. He settled on Liberty after touring the campus and seeing that he shared the same conservative Christian values as the university. He is pursuing his B.S. in Exercise Science.

In addition to being a full-time student, Curran works as a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) student worker in the Veterans Center for Liberty’s Office of Military Affairs as well as the Director of Social Media for Liberty’s Student Veterans Association. His responsibilities include updating the association’s social media for events as well as welcoming new members.

“It is a great feeling to work at and attend a university that places such high regard on veterans,” Curran said. “It means a lot to me to work with fellow veterans and be someone they can come to and look up to.”

The Veterans Center, located in the Montview Student Union, provides resources and hosts social events for military students. It also serves as place where military students can decompress and socialize.

Curran also stays busy as a personal trainer for KRATOS Fitness. His days are long, often starting at 4:30 a.m.

“Honestly, I just pray for God to kind of guide me through each day and give me the strength to take one thing at a time,” Curran said. “I think that’s kind of the secret of it … you just compartmentalize and do the best you can with each hour that is given to you in the day.”

For the moment, Curran aims to use his military experience to help his fellow veterans.

“I’ve always had a deep love for my fellow veterans,” he said. “I always want to be the guy a veteran can come to and feel safe in being around. And if a veteran is going through a troubled time, I want them to know that I’m there for them.”

November is Military Appreciation Month at Liberty. The Office of Military Affairs offers various opportunities for the Liberty community to support and honor its military students, veterans, and their families. For more information on military benefits and resources for military students, visit Liberty.edu/Military.