Comments

• Brooke

  Nov 1, 2010 3:36 PM

  I respect you. Takes a lot to do what you do at your age. Keep it up! Stay safe. And keep looking foward!

  -KIMBROUGH-

  
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• Paul CJ

  Nov 1, 2010 3:47 PM

  Thats determination and motivation! :) quite a nice history to read before going to sleep! :D

  
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• SGT In the Army

  Nov 1, 2010 3:48 PM

  very much respect to you for doing what your doing. All I can ask as a Soldier. Please treat each soldier individually and not all the same. To many of our docs think we are all trying to get out of something. I have been ignored for years and now that I am deployed (for the 5th time)and cant do my job. They take notice. My soldiers are told if they havent been blown up then there isnt anything wrong with them. Rediculous.. I agree there are plenty of Soldiers out there that Malinger, but not all. talk to there NCO's.. if they thing there is something wrong with them.. there probably is.. sorry.. Im in Germany, supposed to be in Afghanistan, and a little bitter at the moment.. Thanks again for doing what you are doing.. Good Luck.. See Ya downrange.

  
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• darwin fabricio beltran mora

  Nov 1, 2010 3:55 PM

  buenos dias escrivo para pedir ayuda siempre les escrivo pero no se adonde llega lo que yo escrivo .soy nacido en ecuador actualmente vivo en españa soy ciudadano español hace un mes me sali de la infanteria española por un problema que nadie quizo ayudarme ..toda mi vida he soñado con ser militar y cuando lo consigo se me cierra una puerta me dejo mujer y mis padres ar ypor averme metido hacer soldado español pero mi sueño es ser militar queria pedirles ayuda para poder pertenecer el ejercito americano y para demostrarles alos que me dejaron que por mi propia cuenta puedo llegar hacer lo que siempre he soñado ..ahora mismo tengo la nacionalidad española sevi 5 años aqui enel ejercito español y quisiera conseguir mi mayor sueño y mi mayor reto que es pertenecer al mejor ejercito del mundo si podeis ayudamre en algo les agradeceria mucho gracias por vuestra ayuda

  
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• ritzi dizon

  Nov 1, 2010 9:07 PM

  sir im very proud of you

  
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• Paul Huddleston

  Nov 2, 2010 1:27 PM

  Proud of you , Sir! Don't get discouraged and use your experience and people skills to help the young 'uns. Keep us updated!

  
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• MAJ Groff

  Nov 2, 2010 9:24 PM

  We are cheering for you Sir and laud your commitment and eagerness to serve. I will see you on the high ground!

  
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• SFC Broughton

  Nov 3, 2010 8:52 AM

  Hooah!

  
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• Trish Green

  Nov 5, 2010 3:38 PM

  LTC Gilbert, you are finally here and your dream is around the corner! It has been a pleasure working you. We have been through a lot together in this process, but you never lost sight of our soldiers in need. You Sir are our hero's hero!

  Thank you so much for your service, we are lucky to have you. Be safe and I will tak to you soon!

  
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• SSG Rob Santarsiero

  Nov 8, 2010 10:20 PM

  Congratulations sir! As an AMEDD recruiter, I know long and hard you've worked to get to this point, and how deeply you believe in what you are doing. You're part of a larger family now, so if you need anything, just ask. We've got your back, and I know you've got ours!

  
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• Kanani Fong

  Nov 18, 2010 5:46 PM

  Welcome to the club. You'll find other physicians who were also recruited out of private practice and into the Army. Why? A clinician with 20+ years of medical plus admin experience has a treasure trove of knowledge, and also knows how to handle patients. It's true: nothing beats years in the trenches and private practice is just that. You literally handle everything that walks through the doors, is wheeled into the ER, and you do it often without pay --or even appreciation!

  I wish you the very best of times, enjoy Ft. Sam. Don't worry, you'll make it through! You'll have loads of fun being with young, enthusiastic individuals, rather than fighting with insurance companies!

  FYI, we closed our practice in 2008. Have never regretted it. We were in private practice for 23 years. Have to say, it's different and there are many changes that must take place in military medicine, and ALL your skills are much needed.

  
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  • Kanani

    Nov 19, 2010 1:37 PM

    FYI, my husband is active duty, not reserves.

    
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• Robert Lindberg

  Nov 29, 2010 11:17 PM

  Wow, I feel a lot better now! I am a 53 year-old ophthalmologist and just received my commission a month or so ago, feeling the same way you do. My partner and most of my colleagues (with the exception of an LTC primary care friend) think I'm nuts and just trying to cross something off my "bucket list." Had tried to join going into med school, and then again during residency, but refractive surgery at the time kept me out. When my only son received an ROTC scholarship (wants to be career), it made me look into it again. Was amazed that the OAPP program existed. Had to jump through eight months worth of hoops (the refractive surgery thing again), but finally got in. Looking forward to taking care of our bravest and their families. Grateful to be in such company.

  
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• Lee Ann

  Dec 20, 2010 10:20 PM

  My husband is 57 and an Ophthalmologist out of practice and has gone through the applicaiton process but is afraid he will not pass the physicial because he is a type 2 diabetic on medication and also takes High blood pressure medication. Does anyone know the requirements to pass the physical to get into the Army Reserves as a physician?

  
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• Robert Lindberg (future Army eye surgeon)

  Dec 21, 2010 10:45 AM

  To jump in from my experience (see post above), if your medical conditions are stable and monitoring is in place with your personal physician, it usually isn't a problem. I am also an ophthalmologist and also have high blood pressure. Interestingly, like most of my patients, I also have "white coat hypertension" worrying about the numbers when I come into the office. It did rear its ugly head when I had my physical; they ended up taking my BP 4 or 5 times, and always getting a high pressure. Thought it would keep me out, but the doc (and I guess it's his call), put in a warning about it. I went to my own internist who checked it on several different occasions and sent a letter into my packet that in his opinion I was stable. Still had to go through several layers of review, but I was able to be approved for commission. Hope that info helps.

  
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• DC

  Jan 31, 2011 1:49 PM

  Very inspiring story ... makes me feel better about my goals of applying to med school at age 49 with the intention of joining Army reserve. Emergency Medicine and General Surgery are of primary interest, and only in the Army do I see a chance to break through the age-discrimination barrier.

  
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• Richard T. Mull, MD

  Jul 1, 2011 1:32 PM

  Sir - Need some info - how did you do it? I am prior military with excellent evaluations in my prior tour. I am still an exellent radiologist, still always outproduce all the docs of ANY age around me, and have had no malpractice suits and no other professional marks against me EVER. I have tried the Army PT test on my own, and can pass all the Army physical testing requirements for a 45 year old. I was a former Army physician and did my Radiology Residency at Walter Reed in the late 1980s. Last year, I read online that 59 year-old docs can come straight back in. So, I started trying to get a 2 to 4 year active duty hitch at 59, way before I actually WAS 60. After almost a year of fruitless inquiries, I finally just turned 60 myself a couple of weeks ago. Now the local recruiter says "Doc, since you have now turned 60, you have become too old to rejoin because you would be 62 years and 1 month at outprocessing when you finish the minimum 2 year tour; besides, the military might not even need any more radiologists". Frustrating, since the web today still lists Radiology as a "critcal shortage" specialty for 2011. In short, I can't find a knowledgable recruiter experienced in helping older physicians back in. Do you know one? How the heck did YOU rejoin? I really need need a contact recruiter to see this matter through before I really AM 61 !! If you have a name and number, please reply to us directly via email to: sonya.mull@gmail.com as we don't usually follow this blog. Thanks and Happy Independence Day!! - Dr. "Getting too old too Fast"

  
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• Dr. Robert Lindberg, MAJ USAR

  Jul 11, 2011 1:48 PM

  Dr. Mull:

  I joined under the program under which you would join (OAPP). During the course of my application process, a couple of medical things came up which needed to be further evaluated and waivers obtained. I would think that, especially as you say, there is a critical shortage of radiologists, that you would be insignificantly older than 62 at the end of the contract, and especially as you are prior service, you could probably try to get a waiver regarding your end-contract age. I would at least ask about it and go up the chain if need be. Good luck to you, sir.

  
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• Doesn't Matter

  Sep 22, 2011 9:37 PM

  Lol, its just a bit ridiculous and unfair that you're even able to serve. There are people who would love to just have the opportunity to ENLIST, but can't because of their age. And now here you come along at age 60, and you're commissioned. You didn't earn your rank, nor did you earn the right to be among the US Military. Just saying.

  
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  • Army doc

    Sep 26, 2011 2:05 PM

    Sir,

    With all due respect, you're missing a few things here. Firstly, Dr. Mull WAS an Army physician, so isn't just trying to have a commission handed to him; he earned it previously, and was interested in getting back in. Further, as he correctly stated, his specialty is in a critical shortage area, and the Army could really use his expertise. Unfortunately, because of lack of knowledge as well as not enough astute recruiting personnel, qualified physicians fall through the cracks and aren't moved into the system appropriately. So you might want to reconsider your comments. Just saying.

    
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