Indiana National Guard Public Affairs Office

Better Late Than Never

By Spc. Robert G. Cooper III, Indiana National Guard

Everyday, young men and women are raising their hands to enlist into the Armed Forces, swearing an oath to protect the Constitution and the American people from all enemies foreign and domestic. However, not all new recruits are fresh out of high school or college, as older generations of Americans are discovering their patriotic desire to serve and defend.

This trend is growing every day as older adults who have settled into civilian lives are sacrificing time with their families and employers in order to answer the call to duty. For Dr. David Dollens of Seymour, Ind., answering such a call has made him a shining example of how it’s never too late to serve. Recently, Dollens received an eight-year direct commission as a lieutenant colonel into the Indiana National Guard.

He is 55 years old.

A doctor of internal medicine who started his practice in 1979, Lt. Col. Dollens said that he always had a personal desire to serve in the Armed Forces.

“My grandfather was in World War I, and my father World War II,” he said. “When our country called on them, they answered, and I want to feel like I’ve done my part as well.”

It wasn’t until Sept. 11, 2001, and the more recent Hurricane Katrina of 2005, however, that Dollens felt it was his time to join. “Like a lot of people, I saw 9/11 on TV and thought I should join and do my part,” he said. “Last fall when the hurricane went through, I thought that now was the time to do it.”

Dollens said that he felt it was better late than never to begin the process of becoming a soldier.

“My kids are grown, and it’s not that I’ve got extra time, but it’s something that I need to do,” he said. “I wanted to offer my skills to the soldiers that are defending us.

I pick up the paper and read about soldiers a lot younger than my children that are getting injured, sick or killed. It makes me ask, ‘How can I help?’ The National Guard was my answer.”

Staff Sgt. David Swaney, a member of the Indiana National Guard and friend of Dollens, commented on the amount of conviction Dollens had when it came to enlisting into the Armed Forces.

“He’s a very patriotic individual who would rather be involved with what’s going on with the war rather than just sit on the sidelines,” Swaney said. “Moreover, everyone has expressed how sincere he is. There aren’t any retirement benefits in store for him, and he’s certainly not in it for the money because of his practice; he’s in it to serve his country before it’s too late.”

Despite his interest in serving, Dollens said that it was a long process in order for him to receive a commission. Currently, the National Guard sets the age cap for enlistment at 40 without a waiver.

“There was a big pile of paperwork, but there were no major obstacles,” Dollens said. “You have to get a 54 year-old guy through the physical part of signing on. I’m in reasonably good health and I like how the National Guard promotes a healthy lifestyle.”

Senior Army Advisor Lt. Col. John Nagy explained Dollens’ direct commission.

“A direct commission is defined as receiving a commission into the officer corps based on a person’s civilian or enlisted rank rather than going to Officer Candidacy School (OCS), the Indiana Military Academy, or Federal OCS,” Nagy said. “However, he will still go to a 2-week customs and courtesy school for officers as well as the Officer Basic Course in December at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.”

The commission for Dollens was unique to the Indiana National Guard and Nagy, who said that this was the first direct commission to that high of a rank in his three years as president of the Federal Recognition Board for the State of Indiana. “It’s not usual to come in at that rank, and direct commission to lieutenant colonel isn’t available in any other branch of the military,” he said.

Now that he is an officer, Dollens said that he anticipates many aspects of his service, including deployment.

“I’m looking forward to learning about military medicine, which is different from civilian medicine,” Dollens said. “I’ll be looking for some additional courses in trauma and life support, although the bulk of my work will be taking care of sick soldiers. I also look forward to working with people who are motivated and want to be here.”

“I hope I can bring some added experience into the Guard, although my fellow soldiers are extremely well-qualified,” Dollens said. “I give a great deal of credit to those younger doctors in the Guard for having to be away from their families. It’s a great sacrifice for them and I have a lot of respect for them as a result.”

Despite the possibility of deployment, Dollens confirmed that he will not be closing his practice. “I don’t think this is going to have a major effect on my private practice,” he said. “If I am deployed, I will have it set up so that my practice remains open.”

Dollens has since experienced his first National Guard drill weekend this June and looks forward to the missions that lie ahead for him.

“I look at this as volunteering my time and will do whatever I’m asked,” Dollens said. “If I’m deployed somewhere dangerous, I’ll put my faith in God and go from there.”