thedrifter
02-25-03, 06:25 AM
02/25/2003
Navy helped doctor grow up
By PETER WILLIAMS
FREEDOM ENC
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a two-part story dealing with health issues for area Marines and sailors now at Camp Fox. Part two deals with some of the medical concerns at the camp. An archive of Peter Williams’ stories from Kuwait is available on the Web at jdnews.com/dispatches.
CAMP FOX, Kuwait — They call him Doogie.
There’s a good reason. At the age of 24, Matthew Carlberg had a wife, kids and a medical degree. What he didn’t have was a focus.
Now at age 38 he’s a commander in the U.S. Navy and the 2nd Force Service Support Group’s resident surgeon. He advises Brig. Gen. Michael R. Lehnert on medical issues dealing with his Marines and sailors.
Carlberg said he joined the military 13 years ago even though he was already a licensed physician because he didn’t know what he wanted to do.
“I quite frankly joined the United States military to be an operational physician, and like the docs who interviewed me for medical school said, I needed to grow up a bit,” he said. “So I joined the military to grow up a little bit and it’s been excellent for me in that and many other regards.”
His nickname came when he was in medical school in New Mexico. “Doogie Howser, M.D.” was a TV program about a child genius who went through medical school and became a doctor while still in his teens.
“One reason I got the name is I obviously look like I am about 12-years-old,” he said.
Carlberg calls Texas home, but has a lot of family and ties to New Mexico. He reported to Camp Lejeune late last year and will be there at least another 2 ??ars.
“I have three girls, one is a junior, and one is in eighth grade and one in seventh grade. If we could stay in North Carolina until we can get them out of high school that would be great.”
Carlberg admits he’s “gone green” a term the Navy uses for medical personnel who find they like life among Marines perhaps more than among sailors.
“I enjoy the U.S. Navy and being affiliated with the U.S. Marine Corps. It’s right up there with marrying my wife Kyrstinn and my children’s births in terms of important things that have happened in my life.
“My Navy brethren think it’s a zero-sum game. They think that if I love the Marine Corps I have to hate the Navy. That’s not true. I love the United States Navy as well. But as folks in North Carolina are aware, if you let somebody else feed your dog long enough then pretty soon he ain’t your dog.
“Any chest candy, any ribbons on my chest that are of any consequence, I’ve gotten because Marine Corps officers have taken a personal interest in me. Unfortunately that’s not the rule in the United States military of the United States Naval Service. But the Marines have taken good care of me, and I feel obligated to take good care of the Marines.”
Carlberg is easy to spot at Camp Fox. He carries a cane made of black thorn from the British isles. It was gift from his wife at Christmas and he uses it to make a point.
Finding his focus isn’t a problem anymore. Carlberg knows that he enjoys being a general practitioner.
“I have matured,” he said. “The military showed me I wanted to be a family physician, and that I am a generalist, not a specialist. I like taking care of everyday people with routine problems. I have to admit that scientifically I am fascinated by weird diseases, I like taking care of everyday folks.”
Peter Williams is on assignment in Kuwait for The Daily News and Freedom ENC. He is editor of The Liberty, a Jacksonville-based weekly newspaper that covers military life in the area. Readers who have a question about life in Kuwait can post it to editor@jdnews.com.
Sempers,
Roger
Part two tomorrow.........
Navy helped doctor grow up
By PETER WILLIAMS
FREEDOM ENC
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a two-part story dealing with health issues for area Marines and sailors now at Camp Fox. Part two deals with some of the medical concerns at the camp. An archive of Peter Williams’ stories from Kuwait is available on the Web at jdnews.com/dispatches.
CAMP FOX, Kuwait — They call him Doogie.
There’s a good reason. At the age of 24, Matthew Carlberg had a wife, kids and a medical degree. What he didn’t have was a focus.
Now at age 38 he’s a commander in the U.S. Navy and the 2nd Force Service Support Group’s resident surgeon. He advises Brig. Gen. Michael R. Lehnert on medical issues dealing with his Marines and sailors.
Carlberg said he joined the military 13 years ago even though he was already a licensed physician because he didn’t know what he wanted to do.
“I quite frankly joined the United States military to be an operational physician, and like the docs who interviewed me for medical school said, I needed to grow up a bit,” he said. “So I joined the military to grow up a little bit and it’s been excellent for me in that and many other regards.”
His nickname came when he was in medical school in New Mexico. “Doogie Howser, M.D.” was a TV program about a child genius who went through medical school and became a doctor while still in his teens.
“One reason I got the name is I obviously look like I am about 12-years-old,” he said.
Carlberg calls Texas home, but has a lot of family and ties to New Mexico. He reported to Camp Lejeune late last year and will be there at least another 2 ??ars.
“I have three girls, one is a junior, and one is in eighth grade and one in seventh grade. If we could stay in North Carolina until we can get them out of high school that would be great.”
Carlberg admits he’s “gone green” a term the Navy uses for medical personnel who find they like life among Marines perhaps more than among sailors.
“I enjoy the U.S. Navy and being affiliated with the U.S. Marine Corps. It’s right up there with marrying my wife Kyrstinn and my children’s births in terms of important things that have happened in my life.
“My Navy brethren think it’s a zero-sum game. They think that if I love the Marine Corps I have to hate the Navy. That’s not true. I love the United States Navy as well. But as folks in North Carolina are aware, if you let somebody else feed your dog long enough then pretty soon he ain’t your dog.
“Any chest candy, any ribbons on my chest that are of any consequence, I’ve gotten because Marine Corps officers have taken a personal interest in me. Unfortunately that’s not the rule in the United States military of the United States Naval Service. But the Marines have taken good care of me, and I feel obligated to take good care of the Marines.”
Carlberg is easy to spot at Camp Fox. He carries a cane made of black thorn from the British isles. It was gift from his wife at Christmas and he uses it to make a point.
Finding his focus isn’t a problem anymore. Carlberg knows that he enjoys being a general practitioner.
“I have matured,” he said. “The military showed me I wanted to be a family physician, and that I am a generalist, not a specialist. I like taking care of everyday people with routine problems. I have to admit that scientifically I am fascinated by weird diseases, I like taking care of everyday folks.”
Peter Williams is on assignment in Kuwait for The Daily News and Freedom ENC. He is editor of The Liberty, a Jacksonville-based weekly newspaper that covers military life in the area. Readers who have a question about life in Kuwait can post it to editor@jdnews.com.
Sempers,
Roger
Part two tomorrow.........