Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Eliverto Larios | Maj. Russell D. Taylor, the dental surgeon for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. - As children, we all have dreams of one day becoming something or someone we admire the most. Some of us grow up with dreams of one day becoming a police officer or a doctor. Some have dreams of one day being on the big screen or singing in front of millions of fans. Some of us want to keep to the family tradition of running the family farm or business. Even dreams of becoming a super hero have crossed the minds of some.
But as we grow older, some of us may grow out of those dreams. Sometimes, we take a different route due to unexpected events. In some cases, finally realizing those childhood dreams can take us by surprise. Life is full of twists and turns and it may take becoming what we always wanted to be to realize exactly where we belong. For Maj. Russell D. Taylor, the dental surgeon for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, the last was true.
Growing up, Taylor never expected to be where he’s at today, let alone, be recognized as being one of the best at what he does. Taylor was named this year’s U.S. Army Forces Command Junior Dental Officer of the Year.
The award is a way of recognizing five outstanding junior officers in the Army’s dental community. The recipients were selected from various components and commands. Each of the officers showed great military and clinical potential for future leadership in the Dental Corps.
Taylor said he was taken by surprise when he got the call from the FORSCOM dental officer.
“He called me and told me that I was nominated,” said the Fayetteville, N.C., native. “Later he came back and told me that I was selected. I never expected to get selected.”
Before his senior year in college, Taylor said he never had thoughts of joining the Army. As a student athlete at North Carolina State University, Taylor and some of his teammates decided to join the Reserves Officer Training Corps and although he didn’t plan on staying in for four years, he did.
“I never intended on coming into the Army, but as I got closer to graduation I started thinking about it,” said Taylor.
After a lot of thinking, he made his choice and now claims it was one of the best decisions he has ever made in his life.
Although he has demonstrated great leadership and skills in the dental career field, he didn’t start off as a dental surgeon. For 14 years, Taylor served as an air defense artillery officer. After his command time with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, he was assigned to the Falcon Brigade as the air defense officer. It wasn’t until he deployed with the brigade in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom that he realized he wanted to become a dentist.
During the deployment, he spent time with the brigade’s dental surgeon. He said he was impressed by what he saw.
“I saw the effect that he had on soldiers in terms of their morale and their readiness and that’s what got me interested,” said Taylor.
When Taylor returned from the deployment, he took his first steps.
“I came back and went to school,” said Taylor. “I took my prerequisites at Fayetteville Tech or wherever I was located at the time.”
After applying for different medical schools, Taylor was accepted to Meharry Medical College and began what he said was definitely the hardest thing he has ever done.
“They told me they were taking a chance on me,” Taylor said. “They expected great leadership out of me.”
Taylor did not disappoint, having served as the class president three out of the four years he was there.
Motivated to become a dentist and using the leadership skills he acquired while in the Army, Taylor graduated with a Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Meharry Medical College. After a year of residency to hone his new skill, Taylor decided it was time to come home.
“I requested to come back to the 82nd,” said Taylor. “I think I work well in this environment.”
Pfc. Gaurav S. Bhattarai, a dental specialist with C Company, 407th Brigade Support Battalion and Taylor’s dental technician, agrees with the officer.
“He’s awesome; I enjoy working with him,” said Bhattarai, who has been Taylor’s assistant since Oct. 2013. “I have never seen him have a negative day. He’s always in the game.”
Taylor claims to be no different than any other brigade’s dentist in the clinic, but he does credit his 14 years in air defense for his success and ability to relate to his patients.
“I am able to talk to them in their own language and connect with them,” he said. “I know that soldiers who come in have days that are usually harder than mine, so I try to let them relax here. You have a lot of soldiers who are scared to come to the dentist so if you are able to put them at ease before they come in and you talk to them and get their mind off of what is about to happen to them, then it makes for a better appointment and they leave the clinic with a better perception of dentistry.”
Taylor’s technician says that winning the award hasn’t changed the officer’s humble nature.
“He doesn’t come in bragging about it or anything,” said Bhattarai. “He comes in and just asks what needs to be done and what the schedule is for the day.”
In early spring of this year, Taylor and the four other award recipients will travel to Washington, D.C., as part of the Dental Corps Junior Officer Week hosted by the Army Dental Corps. While there, they will be honored for their hard work and dedication. They will also get the opportunity to meet and discuss issues with the senior leadership of the Dental Corps, the Army Medical Department and the Department of Defense. They will also tour the White House, the Pentagon, and Capitol Hill.
While in Washington, Taylor hopes to learn what is planned for the future of the Army Dental Corps.
“Hopefully I get a better visual of the future of dental corps and where they are going so I can keep my eye on that, and make sure that my career follows through,” said Taylor.
As for his career in the Army, Taylor said he has no plans on retiring any time soon.
“I like where I’m at,” said Taylor. “I like being an Army dentist and I like what it stands for.”
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2014 16:03 |
| Story ID: | 121434 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Hometown: | FAYETTEVILLE, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 192 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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