Samuel Ward Casscells, III is a 53 year old M.D. and professor of biotechnology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in Houston’s amazing Texas Medical Center. He is also an Army medical corps reservist, and recently was awarded both the General Maxwell Thurman Award and the Army Meritorious Service Medal for his service during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In this Houston Chronicle op-ed, Dr. Casscells writes about the reason that he joined the military and the surprising experience that followed:

I had joined the Army Reserve for what seemed good reasons at the time: to help a hard-working medical corps, to live up to the examples of some of my heroes (Drs. Denton Cooley, James “Red” Duke, Michael DeBakey, and my father, surgical giants who wore Army green), and to set an example for my children.
It proved to be more than that: gripping, inspiring and filled with surprises. As only one in 200 Americans is in uniform today, most do not know any soldiers; hence this report.
One month after being commissioned, I received a phone call from Army Surgeon General Kevin Kiley: “Col. Casscells, welcome aboard. I want to be ready in case of a flu pandemic. You have some experience. We may even have some fun. Stand by for orders.”
In a few months, I felt like a member of a big family. I would not say a team because there was so little rah-rah, and ó to my surprise ó no bragging, no macho, no arguing and very little politics. Even in the sand, with all the surgeons from Operation Iraqi Freedom, the focus was the mission: how to prevent and treat injuries and illness.
All suggestions were welcome. All are addressed by rank, but the general speaks as respectfully to the sergeant as to a colonel. And there is lots of laughing and gentle teasing (a perennial: the Air Force, always ready, will go anywhere ó as long as there is a dry golf course, and cocktails).
[snip]
Equally wondrous to me: There was not a shred of racial awareness, much less tension. I finally had to ask. The answer is that, since President Truman integrated the Army Officer Corps in 1948, there have been several generations of advancement based on merit (which means hard work, smart work, but especially teamwork). Thus there are thousands of black officers who command with quiet confidence.

Read the entire piece. Hat tip to Clear Thinkers reader Byron Hood for the link to Dr. Casscells’ inspiring op-ed.