Who would of thought a dermatologist would be a valued person in
the middle of a war zone? Maj. Sidney Smith of Morgan Hill has
found his services in Iraq in high demand.
Who would of thought a dermatologist would be a valued person in the middle of a war zone? Maj. Sidney Smith of Morgan Hill has found his services in Iraq in high demand.
Smith, a Live Oak High School graduate, is deployed in Baghdad as a medical officer treating war wounds that comes his way. And, he does a little bit more.
While most reports coming out of Iraq deal with the latest car bombing or military action, little filters out of a skin disease that has proven to be quite an irritation for the U.S. armed forces.
Leishmaniasis, a disease spread by sand flies, will appear in skin form or internal organ form. While based in Texas, Smith treated numerous cases originating in Iraq of the skin form of the disease.
Because of his expertise in the area, Smith was highly sought after by high ranking military officials in Iraq which met with a little uncertainty among his unit.
“Generals and colonels were trying to recruit me to work in the military hospital in Baghdad or at least open up a dermatology clinic, in addition to doing my regular clinic with my deployed unit,” said Smith in an e-mail from Bagdad. “My people, at first, were not overly excited about me taking on extra work. After treating a few high profile individuals (generals, colonels, command sergeant majors, etc.), they began to see things a little differently.”
To provide further services, Smith opened the Combat Dermatology Clinic. Smith said he has treated patients from most coalition forces, including Australia, Great Britain and Romania as well as Americans from all branches of the military.
Smith grew up in Morgan Hill, attended Nordstrom and Jackson Elementary schools, Britton Middle School and Live Oak where he graduated in 1987. Following high school, he attended the Brigham Young University where he majored in Spanish literature. After BYU, Smith attended the University of Utah where he received a degree in biology.
After finishing school at the University of Utah, Smith went to Yucatan, Mexico, on a church mission from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for two years.
“After two years, he nearly lost his English,” recalls Peggy Smith, his mother who still lives in Morgan Hill. His father, Sid, is a former Morgan Hill School District trustee
For medical school, Smith attended the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico, where an Army scholarship paid for his schooling.
While in medical school, Smith met his future wife, Rosa. The two have a son, named Sidney who is 2 years old. Smith said he plans to returns to the area when his tour of duty is over.
Since the Army had paid for his school, Smith was placed in the inactive ready reserves where he was a second lieutenant; he was promoted to captain following his graduation from medical school. In June, Smith received a field promotion to major.
Smith worked at various army medical facilities in Texas before he was assigned to the Darnall Army Community Hospital at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, site of the largest military base in the free world.
At the end of 2003, Smith learned he would be shipped off to Iraq in March.
“Sure it was tough packing up all our stuff, and getting ready to say good-bye to my wonderful wife and great son for 365 days, or until the mission is complete, but it was part of my commitment,” Smith said.
Even though he is a dermatologist, he was deployed as a general physician in the First Cavalry.
“I was being deployed as a field surgeon,” Smith said, “but nevertheless, I felt, and still feel, honored and proud to be able to serve my country in this capacity.”
Despite being a medical officer, Smith was still expected to act as a soldier. His unit was initially assigned to Kuwait where they received live fire training before making a dangerous convoy trip to Bagdad, during which Smith was expected to be a gunner.
“Our combat mission to Baghdad was an experience in and of itself,” Smith said. “My mental focus changed dramatically from the art of healing to that of being on the offensive, protection, and survival.”
Peggy said she is proud of her son and has accepted her son being in Iraq.
“I am very much at peace,” Peggy said. “He is doing a great service where he is. But we pray constantly.”
Smith said he is in a relatively safe area of Baghdad, despite the bombings and militant actions within Iraq.
“But if you watch the news you will see something occurring in Baghdad almost every day,” Smith said. “I would like to thank all of you in the Morgan Hill area for all your support and prayers. May God continue to bless America and preserve our precious freedoms.”
While the media has focused in on the militant asptects in Iraq, Smith and his mother are quick to point out the good things that have gone on.
“Ther are a lot of good things happening in Iraq,” Peggy said. “The infrastrucure is rebuilt. People have water, there is safety and the women and girls are receiving an education.”
Smith is scheduled to come home in March of 2005, and his mother said the family is anticipating his safe return.
“Every time (his son) sees a plane, he says daddy, daddy,” Peggy said.
