Colonel Sidney Alan Brooks, Sr., D.D.S.
Fort Sam Houston, TX
U.S. Army Dental Corps

After six years of sleeping on the ground with the troops, Colonel Sidney Alan Brooks decided to follow in the footsteps of military friend Dr. Fred Sykes and serve the military by improving the oral health of its soldiers -- a decision that would make his grandfather, who also was a dentist, proud.

Despite thinking he'd stay in the Army practicing dentistry among the troops for about 10 years, the Army's highest-ranking African American dental officer still serves after 27 years. "Every time I think it's time to go, there is something going on that keeps me here. Some dentists practice their whole lives in one small town; with the military it's much different. I have the opportunity to travel all over the world," said Colonel Brooks.

Today, Colonel Brooks commands 4,000 men and women who are members of the U.S. Army Dental Corps. He's never stationed in one location for very long because his medical soldiers are running dental clinics -- some stand-alone, others created in schools, churches or courtyards -- in 23 countries.

"You have a dual profession in military dentistry. One profession is being a dentist; the other profession is being an Army officer. You have the role of leading soldiers and running an organization that can be successful in both war and peace," he said.

Colonel Brooks added, "You're not able to build relationships with patients because soldiers move on. You can develop a treatment plan for one patient and you may never see them again because someone else is treating them. But everyone else sees your work, so you have to be sure you're doing a good job."

While he'd love to buy a boat and sail away into military retirement, Colonel Brooks sees a future in his own private dental practice in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He also hopes to spend more time with his wife of 29 years, Colonel Marilyn Hughes, who is stationed with the Army Nurses Corp in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The couple get to see each other only once every five or six weeks.

"To be successful you have to make sacrifices. We both have our professions right now. There was a time when I was 'Mr. Mom' so my wife could do what she needed to do. We both grew up poor. I remember when I was a kid not having electricity because my mom couldn't afford to pay the bills. Now we are developing our nest egg so we can leave something to our children," said the father of two adult sons, Alan and Wesley.