Called to duty

Published 11:45 am Friday, February 22, 2008

LAKE FOREST PARK — Lake Forest Park City Council member Dwight Thompson has been called to active duty as a full-time Lieutenant Colonel in the Army.

Thompson has been mobilized for active duty by the Army Reserves, assigned to the 70th Regional Support Command at Fort Lawton in Discovery Park in Seattle.

Thompson said he will continue to attend city council meetings on Thursday nights as long as he’s local and not traveling to Fort Lewis. He was absent at the March 13 meeting because he was at Fort Lewis.

“My orders are for Operation Enduring Freedom,” Thompson said. “I could be transferred to another unit and deployed, but I don’t expect that to happen.”

Thompson has been with the reserves for 21 years. On duty, his job is as deputy surgeon for readiness and mobilization.

“My main job is as a mobilization officer, and I specialized in the Army medical department. I organize and get medical specialty personnel to the units,” he said.

This is the second time Thompson has been called to duty. The first time was during Dessert Storm when he was called to duty in Riyahd, Saudi Arabia.