Face of Defense: Soldier, 79, Continues to Serve

Face of Defense ^ | Tiffany Nabors

[SandRat]

FORT BENNING, Ga., April 5, 2010 – With four military retirements behind him, Army Col. (Dr.) William Bernhard says President John F. Kennedy's plea to the nation nearly 50 years ago inspires him to keep going.

Army Col. (Dr.) William Bernhard is serving a voluntary rotation in Hohenfels, Germany. The 79-year-old flight surgeon, who has retired from the military four times, said this will be his last active-duty assignment. U.S. Army photo by Tiffany Nabors  
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

"JFK once said, 'Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,'" Bernhard said. "And I've always tried to do that."

The 79-year-old physician reported here March 20 before leaving for Hohenfels, Germany.

Although most people his age are slowing their pace, the experienced mountain climber said he keeps coming back for the troops.

"This is a voluntary retiree recall, and I do it for all the men and women out there [who are serving]," he said.

As a flight surgeon, Bernhard is responsible for caring for soldiers on flight status. He will conduct annual physicals and care for pilots and others when they are sick or injured.

Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel Rhodes, a former 192nd Infantry Brigade sergeant major who met Bernhard in 2005 during a deployment to Iraq, said others should draw inspiration from the doctor.

"He's … still serving, and most of us [retirees] are under 50 and out of the Army," Rhodes said. "I would say we still have a lot more to give, and we can use him as an example. He's a role model for all of us who have retired."

Bernhard said he always wanted to join the military like his father.

"He joined the Army Air Corps during the Second World War and actually fought against members of his own family, because we are a German family," Bernhard said. "I always wanted to follow in his footsteps."

Bernhard entered the Marines in 1950 under the Platoon Leaders Course during his freshman year in college, but was discharged because of an injury.

"I was disappointed,” he said, “but my father said it was an opportunity to follow him into medicine and be the third doctor in the family."

During medical school, he entered the Navy Reserve under the Berry Plan, which deferred his military training while he was in school. During his fellowship year at Dartmouth Medical School, Bernhard was activated to work in anesthesia for two years. He later took advantage of an Army Reserve program that allowed him to become a flight surgeon.

He also completed air assault training, mountain warfare training and earned the expert field medical badge while in the reserves.

He retired in 1998 from his civilian position at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he directed anesthesia for 10 years. He has retired from the military four times: once from the National Guard in 1998 and then again after a 2005 deployment to Iraq, a 2006 deployment to Afghanistan and a 2007 rotation in Germany, which he extended four times.

Bernhard continues to work part-time as a civilian flight surgeon for the Maryland Army National Guard, and he wasn't surprised when he received orders to report here last month. His orders are for 171 days.

"I knew they needed someone," he said. And although he will miss his wife, dog and hobbies while away, Bernhard said, "I'm excited about going because it's a job that needs to be done."

Bernhard, who left for Germany on March 26, said this will be his last military tour. He plans to retire for the fifth time in August or September.

Rhodes said Bernhard is an example for everyone.

"Some people are just trying … to not get in any environment where they could get hurt," Rhodes said. "But [Bernhard] is going out there saying, 'What can I do now?'"

[MindBender26]

My Man!

Hooah!

[Gay State Conservative]

A truly exceptional man.A credit to the medical profession and to this nation.

[colorado tanker]

Wow, this guy has done about two careers in the military. I doubt he’ll get two retirements, though. :-))

[Joe 6-pack]

I met Dr. Bernhard in ‘95. He’s a truly fine officer and a credit to this nation.

[The KG9 Kid]

That's some LONG service. Congratulations to the good doctor.

Back when I was in, our brigade had a CW05 that had already been a CWO5 for a very long time. We held a retirement party for him and he'd served for 38 years or something crazy. He was a private in the Korean War, was a Master Gunny, and then became a Warrant Officer. He'd been in Armor, Artillery, and Infantry MOS'es his whole time in the Corps.

He knew absolutely every single weapon system we had down to the smallest detail, qualified expert on every one of them, and intimately knew everything about weapons systems that had been obsoleted or removed from service a generation before: Water-cooled Brownings with fabric belts, recoilless rifles, howitzers, ONTOS vehicles, and everything. Only thing I remember about him was that he was always smiling on the rare occasions that we saw him.

He got treated like God Almighty by absolutely everyone, and I remember his retirement party was attended by a two star general officer who flew out just for the occasion to give the accolade speech: Our CWO5 was his company Gunny in Vietnam when the 2-star general was a brand new 2nd Lieutenant. I'd only attended the party for the free beer with the rest of the non-rate young Marines in our brigade, but we were really moved by what we'd learned about our Gunner.

Some guys they just cannot afford to let go. They're a valuable military resource as a single man.

[Bringbackthedraft]

A great uncle of mine was called back to active duty at the age of 70. He was a construction engineer, and was ordered to build bunkers in Norway during WW II. Some are still standing, guess he did a good job. He served until May of 45. I met him in 62, he was very spry for his age. He walked fast and you would think by looking at him he was about 70ish. Some old guys hold up quite well. I know a bunch of retired Colonels who would jump at the chance of returning to command troops.

[hellbender]

Wow. He's even older than this Dr., who is planning to go on another tour at age 76.

Army Dr. (Col.) Everett Spees, 73, who treated Soldiers on the battlefields of Vietnam and is now back on active duty as a cardiothoracic surgeon in Landstuhl, Germany. He's also a priest in the Polish National Catholic Church. "When I'm not on active duty, I dream about it."

[Gritty]

What a terrific man!

[Drew68]

"I knew they needed someone,"

Thanks for stepping up to the plate Colonel! Your service is admirable. The Army is soon to be short a qualified flight surgeon for a separate, unrelated issue.