Air Force vet's spirit of service takes many forms in Schaumburg

Scott Kegarise is not just a longtime volunteer who happens to be a veteran, but he's also someone who sees a relationship between service to country and service to community.

Since his time as a Vietnam-era Air Force staff sergeant from 1968 to 1975, he's led both the Schaumburg Athletic Association and Schaumburg Jaycees. And for more than three decades, he's been an instructor and certifier for Illinois' 6,000 youth soccer referees each year.

He's also held two elected offices in Schaumburg Township, first as a trustee and currently as highway commissioner.

Being a "people person" has been a common thread for the Schaumburg resident.

"The world would be a much better place if people would work with each other rather than fighting with each other," he said.

Kegarise met his wife, Char, who serves on the Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 school board, when he was stationed at McChord Air Force Base near Tacoma, Washington.

The daughter of a 33-year Air Force veteran, Char shares her husband's attitude toward service.

"We felt if you're going to be in a community, be a part of the community and make it a good place to raise kids," Scott Kegarise said.

Before arriving in Schaumburg through a job transfer in 1979, Kegarise's overseas postings in the Air Force from 1971 to 1975 included Thailand, the Laotian border, the Philippines and Vietnam. The Pennsylvania native said he was drawn to the Air Force by a love for aviation, but his eyesight kept him from becoming a pilot and he was not in combat.

But his military service provided him with technical skills that later gave him a private-sector career.

Much of his work has been in analyzing oil from vehicles and equipment. Like a blood test for a person, such analysis can reveal issues related to the overall health of a system that a cursory look at the mechanics won't, he said.

Now in his current position as highway commissioner, he tests the township's vehicles.

Of all the forms his volunteerism has taken, his association with soccer and refereeing is the longest.

One of soccer's biggest appeals to him - both in the youth leagues his oldest son first got him involved with, as well as the coed adult league he works with today - is that someone doesn't need to be either 6-foot-8 or 300 pounds to be the best player in the game.

"It lends itself to all people," Kegarise said.

• Do you know of veterans helping other veterans, doing good things for their community or who have an interesting story to tell? Share your story at veterans@dailyherald.com.