Tactical

With the intentional downing of Korean Air flight 007 by a Soviet Su-15 interceptor and the consequential threat increase on the Korean peninsula, combat readiness for the U.S. Second Infantry Division, deployed on the most militarized border in the world, assumed paramount importance.  That forever infamous act of typical Soviet brutality, in fact, placed the United States and the Soviet Union on the very precipice of nuclear war, as recently declassified documents have revealed.  (See NATO Operation Able Archer.)  

With nearly 100 tactical nuclear weapons deployed on the 38th parallel and the DEFCON 2 designation on the Korean peninsula, CPT Daw was selected for assignment as one of four division dental surgeons assigned to, at that time, the only combat deployed medical battalion in the Army - the Second Medical Battalion, Second Infantry Division, U.S. Forces, Korea.  CPT Daw recognized this assignment was going to be much different than his previous CONUS and European assignments, as a gas mask was to be part of his TA-50 gear.  Further, this protection from neurotoxins must always be at hand, twenty-four seven.  Immediately after his assignment to Camp Casey, headquarters for the combat arm of the U.S. Eighth Army, CPT Daw tested for and was awarded the Expert Field Medical Badge.  His battalion commander then designated him as the clearing platoon leader for the medical battalion's Bravo company.  As such, CPT Daw's responsibilities would include tactical as well as clinical duties.  Given map coordinates in the early stages of frequent drills, CPT Daw would deploy the assets of his company toward the overall configuration for that exercise.

The increased force structure required on the Korean peninsula, especially that of combat and special forces personnel, strained the ability of dental officers to maintain their combat readiness via dental examinations and necessary treatment in order to maintain the division's deployability, as required by Army regulations.  The loss of combat hours as a consequence of oral and dental pain during the Vietnam conflict revealed to military planners the need for a robust dental health program in order to enhance the deployable status of the field commander's soldiers.  The Dental Readiness Program (DRP) was developed for fixed facilities as well as for implementation in field deployments of FORSCOM  units.  Conventional back-haul operations, utilizing ground transportation to place field dental teams in remote areas along the DMZ, were time consuming and sometimes difficult with the severe winters encountered in the mountains.

With the increasing numbers of special forces and air traffic controllers deployed on the mountaintops, dental resources were stretched, despite the coordinated efforts of the four division dental surgeons and several other dental officers stationed at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, headquarters for Eighth Army.  CPT Daw was attached to the Tenth Medical Detachment, 18th MEDCOM, in Yongsan in order to boost the field deployment capabilities of dental personnel there.  Ironically, although no gas mask was necessary in Seoul, student protests against U.S. presence in their capital necessitated frequent disbursement of the protestors with CS gas. On a number of occasions  CPT Daw would have to dismiss patients, due to the eye irritant.  Dr. Daw again considers himself blessed that his immediate rater in Yongsan was Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Blainey, a West Point commissioned Airborne Ranger endodontist. He tasked CPT Daw to find a way to substantially improve the delivery of tactical dental teams in the new threat environment.  Toward that end, CPT Daw, coordinating with special forces and air assets from K-16 airbase, utilized Black Hawk helicopters to insert and extract dental teams in the mountainous regions along the DMZ.  The success of the mission earned CPT Daw recognition as the first dental officer to utilize airmobile assets for the delivery of dental care to remote sites in the Republic of Korea.  He developed standard operating procedures for continuance of these missions after his departure from Korea.

After completion of his tour in Korea and satisfaction of his military obligation, Dr. Daw returned to his family in Chattanooga.  Deploying to Korea when his young son, Kris, was only a year old, Dr. Daw was looking forward to being a dad again for his now three year old.  Private practice accorded Dr. Daw an opportunity to be part of an outstanding collection of dentists who have consistently reflected well on the profession.  Dr. Daw was pleased to find a well established program for provision of dental care through various ministries in the city.  Dr. Bill Roy, whose altruism and tireless efforts in the establishment of the Mercy Dental Clinic are well known, made Dr. Daw aware of the Inner City Ministries; Johnny O'Neal's zeal in providing hope and leadership for kids spurred Dr. Daw to lend his efforts in their faith based dental clinic.  Speaking of zeal, Dr. Daw remembers well the zealous attack of front court in order to place a nice z-shot by Dr. Roy at the Sports Barn.  He was further impressed when Johnny Hennen pointed out he was dominating in his age division in local racquetball tournaments.  Dr. Daw encountered another remarkable member of the Chattanooga dental community when he joined a dental professional

staff at Chattanooga State.  Karen Castleberry, with her stimulating dental assisting program, has produced quality dental assistants that are such an integral part of the dental team.  With several of Mrs. Castleberry's students having rotated through Dr. Daw's office over the  years, he has had the opportunity to perform a number of procedures attendant to general dentistry with them and, without exception, they have been knowledgeable from both clinical and didactic standpoints.

Academic excellence found at Big Ridge Elementary and the lure of beautiful Hixson, which had only been a fond memory since Dr. Daw's graduation from UTC, guided him to locate his general dental practice north of the river.  The birth of Dr. Daw's daughter, Kara, heralded the opening of his office on Northpoint Boulevard.  Dr. Daw was blessed with a second son, Dylan, four years later.