Called to duty: Kings County finance director headed to Iraq this summer

Doil O'Steen's desk bears a number of documents ready to be processed neatly spread out like a tablecloth. Against the wall is a side table marked with a comfortably set digital photo frame playing a slideshow of his family photos and modest amount of military service mementos.

It has the feel of a typical working office belonging to a busy management-level county official.

But in several weeks, the office of O'Steen, Kings County finance director, will be dark and empty, awaiting his return in a year.

O'Steen, a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, has been called to active duty.

He will report to the Army National Guard base in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas, in mid-August.

As a member of the 413th Civil Affairs Battalion, he will be deployed to Iraq to join the provincial reconstruction team to build schools, public health infrastructure and economic development projects.

He expects to be gone for one year.

"It never comes at a good time, personally or professionally," O'Steen said. "It always comes at an awkward time."

But O'Steen, 56, has a relaxed attitude about it. After all, he's been a reservist for 25 years, and he's already gone through this five times.

Twenty years ago, he was sent to Panama. Then during the Gulf War, in 1990 and 1991, he was in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In 1996 and 1997, he was in Bosnia. And most recently, he was in Iraq in 2003.

"If you wear the uniform, that's what you're expected to do. When Uncle Sam calls, you go," O'Steen said.

O'Steen arrived in Hanford in October 2006 when he took the county job. He had spent the previous 30-plus years in Lubbock, where he worked in city government as auditor and financial analyst and served in the Army National Guard.

The man still talks with a tinge of an Texan accent. He still flies back to Texas once a month to attend the guard drill.

But O'Steen says he feels right at home in Kings County.

A transition from Texas to Hanford has been "very easy," O'Steen said. "It's a lot similar to Lubbock County, where I came from. It's all about agriculture there."

O'Steen has led the newly-consolidated Department of Finance for 18 months. He may be leaving during budget crunch time, when officials scramble to finalize the county budget based on the state budget.

Typically, the county adopts its final budget in mid- to late August.

"We're not thrilled about him going, but we certainly support his guard duty," said Deputy County Administrative Officer Deb West. "Kings County has a policy to specifically hold the position open for folks who are completing their service. It's our duty to support that."

The military has been part of O'Steen's life off and on since 1972. At 19, he joined the Army and served on active duty for three years.

O'Steen confides that at that time he thought he had had enough. But he joined the local reserve eight years later. By that time, he had already earned a degree from Texas Tech University and his career in finance was beginning to gain momentum.

"I just felt like it was something I really wanted to do," O'Steen said. "So I went in, and it's been 25 years."

O'Steen only needed 20 years to retire. But he's way past that point. Modest about his long military experience, O'Steen just laughs about that.

Behind this dedicated military man is a family that is just as dedicated to supporting his sacrifice.

"I'm very proud of him," said O'Steen's wife, Joyclyn. "He just takes it very seriously. It's a real sacrifice, and we support him."

O'Steen gives a lot of credit to his wife.

"On our first anniversary, I was in Saudi Arabia," O'Steen said. "She's been a good sport. I couldn't have done this without her."

The couple will celebrate their 35th anniversary at home in July, right before O'Steen reports for duty. Beginning in August, it will be a long year for Joyclyn and the couple's two grown sons, Damon, 31, of Los Angeles, and Salem, 26, of Lubbock, Texas.

"We leave his safety in God's hands," Joyclyn said. "We'll do the best we can while he's gone."

The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.

(May 18, 2008)