Reserve Doctor

I am an activated Orange County reservist radiologist serving at Fort Ord, Calif. The war has been over for three weeks; why am I still here? We have been informed that we must stay until our whole unit is back here. Part of our unit, the 8th Evac Hospital, has volunteered (or been volunteered) to treat Iraqi POWs and then move the hospital to Kuwait to continue to care for them.

I came and I have served during the time of the national emergency. There are no casualties here; so why is my presence still required? The answer that the Army still has a need to cover medical personnel shortages is no longer valid. The Army has had a chronic shortage of health care providers; for the Army to further burden its undermanned resources by performing community service in a foreign country during peacetime should not be my burden.

I do not know the letter of the law on holding a reservist after a war is over, but I feel my obligation has been served.

DAVID W. BURTON, MD, Fort Ord, Calif.