Heilman, Mark, CAPT

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE NAVY.
My Father served in the Army Air Corps/US Air Force from 1936-1947, so I began in a military family. As a child one of our favorite games was 'war' or 'playing soldiers' - remember, this was a time when toy guns were a required part of a boys arsenal, before the days of PC & the demonetization of firearms.

For the 3 years I was in undergraduate school I was in Air Force ROTC at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. My choices of ROTC were USAF or Army, and as my Dad was retired USAF, the decision was a no-brainer.

When I was accepted to dental school, I approached the Professor of Air Science and asked what programs the USAF had for dental students. Without batting an eye he said there were none (which I later found out was not true - turns out he was just too lazy to research the question).

When I arrived at Ohio State, the Navy Officer Candidate program was heavily recruiting. As the Vietnam war was heating up, it was obvious to all of us that if we had had no prior service we would be prime draft material at graduation. So, Navy it was.

WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHERE DID YOU GO TO BOOT CAMP AND WHAT UNITS, BASES, SHIPS OR SQUADRONS WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
For the first 5 years I filled general dental billets doing a little bit of all types of dentistry.

While at Atsugi, the dentist doing prosthodontics rotated back to the CONUS and I asked if I could take his place. I enjoyed what I was doing so much that I applied for, and was accepted into, the residency program in prosthodontics at the Naval Graduate Dental School at Bethesda, MD.

After residency I filled only prosthodontic billets from then on.

In 1977 I fleeted up to Dental Department Head on USS Constellation, CV-64, beginning my administrative career path.

In Pensacola, I filled both clinical and administrative functions, the admin being an afterthought or ADDU position. Clinical dentistry was still my prime function.

In 1985 I began my full time administrative path as XO in Charleston. However, I continued to see patients on a limited basis because that is what I was trained to do and I liked it!

CO tour followed and then a staff job at HSO JAX.

That ended my administrative billets & I returned to clinical dentistry until retirement.

IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY?
Deployed as part of Landing Force 6th Fleet in 1969 in support of amphibious assault team 3/6.

RIMPAC 1977, and a WESTPAC cruise.

Commanding Officer, Naval Dental Center, Camp Lejeune, NC during Operations Desert Shield & Desert Storm.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
There is not one particular event that stands out. My memories cover a spectrum, from the TET Offensive to the fall of Saigon to the first Iraq War.

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR OTHER MEMORABILIA, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
The Legion of Merit I was awarded for my service as Commanding Officer of Naval Dental Center Camp Lejeune during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

Firstly, the award itself. It was rarely awarded to Field Grade Officers in those days. It was reserved primarily for Flag rank officers. And even more rare was the award to a Staff Corps Officer.

Secondly, the circumstances of the award - wartime, a Navy Command working for a Marine Corps Major General, long days & stressful times. It meant that my 20 years of preparation had paid off.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
Captain Amos W. Cave, DC, USN. My first Executive Officer. Bill Cave was a gentle giant. He and his wife Davis took an interest in my career options & in our family life when I was deployed to the Mediterranean. Not only was he the model example of a Naval Officer, he was truly concerned about the welfare of his troops and their families.

His motto's were:
-Lead by example.
-Never ask your people to do something you wouldn't (or couldn't) do.
-Praise in public, 'educate' in private.
-See to the welfare of your people before your own.
-NEVER let anyone get between you & the chow line.

CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Halloween, 1988, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, NC .

We were going to a Halloween party at my Admin Officers house in town, from our base quarters. We were both in costume, I as the lead singer from the rock band Kiss - white face with a black lightening bolt through one eye & a black star through the other, black wig & shirt.

When you left the base you just passed by the gate, but coming back in you had to be passed on by the sentry.

Picture what the sentry saw - a red 1965 Mustang convertible with an O-6 sticker & a sticker saying Commanding Officer NDC Camp Lejeune on it, me at the wheel & my wife beside me dressed as a green elf.

The look on the sentry's face as he tried, unsuccessfully, not to laugh was priceless.

WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
I was rated as 100% disabled upon retirement because of arthritis in my hands (and elsewhere) so I availed myself of the VA's retraining program and became a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.

I worked in the medical imaging field for 4 years with a company which developed software to make, process, store & transmit digital x-rays for the radiology & dental fields. I left that industry in 2005 and fully retired.

WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
Naval Institute - keeps me abreast of current thinking in the Navy/Marine Corps arena.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER? WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE?
Military service had little impact on the way clinical dentistry is done. It's pretty much the same as in a civilian office.

Honor, Loyalty, Duty, Love of Country - all these values contribute to a military career and the adherence to them is what sets a military person apart from his or her civilian counterparts.

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE NAVY?
I highly recommend a career. The friendships you make will be everlasting & the retirement benefits are well worth the efforts.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.
I have found shipmates that I haven't seen or heard from in 30 years. It is a GREAT way to keep in touch.

DS 10/11/16