attn: army dentists! career deployments in army

[Blando]

Have a question coming from my fiance. As a dentist in the army, how long would you expect to be away from your family for a twenty or thirty year career? How many deployments would you suspect? Saying this, I would hopefully be taking a specialty/1-2 year aegd and wouldn't mind living anywhere as long as my will-be wife can come along. Actual army dentists please respond!!

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[jmill0]

Chances of being deployed lessen the longer you are in. With specialty training, the odds of deploying decrease significantly, except with oral surgery. I guess in extreme circumstances a pediatric dentist or an orthodontist can be called in to do general dentistry, but probably unlikely.

If I were to guess, I would estimate being away for at least 1 year in a twenty year career in a "hostile environment". Maybe more, maybe less. I would also plan on at least one year in Korea by yourself (very few spouses are allowed to go over there sponsored by the government). One you hit LTC at about 12 years, your field duty is pretty much over.....

Just my 2 cents....

JKM
Former Army Dental Officer