Public Health Command Europe Soldier works towards his dream

Story by Michelle Thum

Public Health Command Europe

Landstuhl, Germany – Veterinary Food Inspection Specialist at Public Health Command Europe is working on advancing his career and becoming a U.S. Army officer.

Washington-native Sgt. Thomas Dozier, grew up on a Navy base due to his father being in the Navy and his mother serving in the Army.

“I’ve always been surrounded by the military and I decided to join right after high school,” said Dozier. “I really enjoy all of the various tasks the Army has presented me in the last six years.”

Dozier is a Veterinary Food Inspection Specialist at Public Health Command Europe and currently serves as the Biological Analysis Division noncommissioned officer in charge.

BAD receives food, water and animal samples from U.S. Army Europe and Africa to ensure food and water meet strict U.S. and host nation safety standards and animals are disease-free.

“I’m responsible for rabies testing which means that I receive the samples and conduct rabies testing to see if the samples carry the disease or not,” said Dozier. “Rabies testing is especially important for the health and safety of our service members in deployed locations.”

During his career, Dozier had the opportunity to explore more of the public health scope.

“Working in a veterinary treatment facility helped me understand better that public health is so much more than food safety and defense which was my primary focus as a food inspector,” said Dozier. “In the VTF, I was responsible for military working dog treatment and I tracked zoonotic diseases and promoted not animal but also human welfare.”

Even before joining the Army, Dozier has always wanted to pursue a career in the medical field.

“At any given moment you can be told that you’re going somewhere else to do something new that’s the way the Army is,” said Dozier. “I have a passion for helping people and helping them to be as healthy as they can be.”

Dozier is working towards his goal of becoming an army officer in the health care field and utilizing Army commissioning programs to go to college fulltime in the coming years. The AMEDD Enlisted Commissioning Program allows soldiers to complete up to 24 months of nursing school while retaining their rank, grade, and military benefits.

“As a health care professional, I can provide the care, support and education needed to help individuals achieve and maintain their health.” said Dozier.

According to Dozier, working in the health care field offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.
“Follow your heart, it will lead you to wherever you are meant to be.” said Dozier.