Posted on 03/31/2006 5:17:53 PM PST by SandRat
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (March 30, 2006) -- Many reservists volunteer to join the military knowing that at anytime they can be activated. No matter what, they are trained and ready to join the fight at a moment’s notice.
For one dentist with 2nd Dental Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, joining the fight meant giving up his private dental practice, but serving a nation he felt indebted to was more important to him.
Lieutenant Cmdr. Chat Pongsugree, born in Bangkok, Thailand, came to America in 1980 in search of a better future.
“This country is the greatest country in the world,” Pongsugree said. “In this country, anyone can be anything with enough hard work.”
After arriving in the land of opportunity, Pongsugree seized upon America’s wealth of educational opportunities.
During college in 1987, Pongsugree became a United States citizen and two years later earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.
“I worked as a chemist in the civilian sector at first but I wanted something more,” he said. “My sister was in the dental field and always spoke highly of it.”
Soon thereafter Pongsugree attended West Virginia University and became a dentist. With the sense of duty he says his father, a veteran of the Thai Army, instilled in him, Pongsugree opted to serve his new home by joining the U.S. Navy.
Pongsugree first served alongside Marines at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, and has stayed on the “green side” ever since.
“Marines are the first to fight,” Pongsugree added. “Marines are able to do things [most] people couldn’t even dream of doing.”
He later joined a Naval Reserve dental unit out of Bethesda, Md., where he began building his own dental practice from the ground up.
“I had my own civilian practice for about four years in Lansdowne, Va., until being activated this past year,” Pongsugree said.
Once activated, Pongsugree sold his practice and said goodbye to his wife, Linda, and two sons, Brandon and Aaron, in order to once again serve the nation he had come to love.
“We Americans don’t realize how fast things can change,” Pongsugree said. “I had a lot of friends in Thailand who were Vietnam refugees and saw what they went through. Our freedom is something many take for granted, but it is our responsibility to preserve it.”
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (March 30, 2006) – Lieutenant Cmdr. Chat Pongsugree cares for a patient here March 30. For Pongsugree, joining the fight meant giving up his private dental practice, but service to a nation he felt indebted to was more important to him. Pongsugree is a dentist with 2nd Dental Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group. (Released)
(Official Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Wayne Edmiston) Photo by: Lance Cpl. Wayne Edmiston
He understands!
Present one with a problem with a partial or complete denture... and they... 'have a learning opportunity'.
I'll give the squid medics a bump for being quick studies... They took good care of my needs on my last JTF deployment. After some study.
As the US military gets older, the Docs are going to have to learn some new tricks. And they are.
On a related note, it's pretty cool how many grandpa's are serving. Age, cunning, and guile win over youth and inexperience every time.. 8>)
/johnny
BTTT
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