Published Jun 18, 2026, 5:00 AM EDT
US Navy Lt. Cdr. David Westerberg got a very late start to his military career.
At an age when many people step away from demanding careers, U.S. Navy Lt. Cdr. David Westerberg chose the opposite route. The dentist with Marine Forces Reserve earned the Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) qualification insignia pin on June 11 at Marine Force Support Facility New Orleans. At age 67, the service said he is the oldest sailor on record to ever receive it. Westerberg had already built a 38-year career as a civilian dentist in Southern California, according to a press release. Retirement did not appeal to him. In 2022, at age 64, he was commissioned as a Navy officer. His son’s graduation from Officer Development School provided the spark. One year later, the father who had pinned his son in a private ceremony stood on the graduation field himself as a newly commissioned officer.
A Dentist's Path to Marine Forces Reserve
Westerberg’s assignment took him to 4th Dental Battalion, a unit that provides dental care to Marines in the reserve component. The move placed him in daily contact with the very Marines whose culture and mission he would soon study in depth. The decision to pursue his FMF pin carried practical weight in his assignment. As a dentist treating Marines, Westerberg wanted to understand the demands they face and the environment for which they train. The FMF qualification offered a structured way to gain that perspective.
