CPT Alex Smith, CPT Tin Le, MAJ Chun Chan

Our Senior Residents recently found out where they will be going after graduation in July! Not knowing your next duty assignment is always good for a little anxiety for service members and our families. At least in the Dental Corps, though, the personnel in Washington, DC making the assignments really do try to accommodate people’s desires. I’ve never had a bad assignment but I’ve never really known how the process worked either. I would have believed that they threw darts at a map and that’s how people got their assignments!?! I’ve learned recently exactly how this works, though, because our Program Director is part of the process for all 63B/Comprehensive Dentists. He conducts marathon telephone calls with the assignment manager over a period of weeks, as they go through the list of openings and requests one by one. It has been impressive and encouraging to witness how hard they try to accommodate our Officers. I witnessed this – not because I’m eavesdropping :) - but because I share an office with him and he trusts me not to leak the news. THAT is hard! But I know better…

Having said all that, it shouldn’t be a surprise for our residents that they all got pretty much what they wanted.

CPT Alexander Smith wanted anywhere but CONUS (Continental United States), more specifically Japan or Korea. He is going to Korea!

CPT Tin Le wanted a location where he knew his wife could attend Nursing School. He is going to White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico which was on his list.

MAJ Chun Chan wanted the Northeast and is going to FT Drum, NY.

So, needless to say, they are very happy. They are still focused on their academic and clinical requirements right now – they do still have to graduate!! But they also have had to start attending briefings related to their upcoming moves. So, it’s the beginning of a new beginning for them – an exciting time.