Army vet proud to be part of Anthem Memorial
MARC BUCKHOUT ~ MANAGING EDITOR ~ 7/8/2010

When Steven R. Dolby, First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army shows up to Anthem Community Park on Nov. 11, 2011 he said it will bring back a lot of good memories as he reflects on his military career.
“I had the pleasure of meeting some of the greatest people in my life,” he said. “I am still in contact with a lot of them to this day. The other thing it makes me think about is how the military forces you to grow up quickly. You assume responsibility, bigger and more, than you can possibly imagine.”
The now Anthem resident was attending college when he was drafted to serve in
Vietnam in 1967.
Dolby would apply for officers school. Upon completing his training in Oklahoma he was set for deployment to Vietnam.
“At the last minute my orders were changed though and I was sent to Germany,” he said.
During his time in Germany Dolby served in a variety of capacities including a nuclear weapons control officer.
“My job was safeguarding the codes for the release of nuclear weapons,” he said.
He also served as an intelligence officer, monitoring classified documents of various levels including confidential and top secret.
“Oh no, not at all,” he said when asked if he had pursued those assignments.
While those roles proved stressful, to say the least, Dolby also had the opportunity to test Honest John Rockets.
As a platoon leader his group tested the rockets, capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. The system was designed to fire conventional artillery in battlefield areas with a launch capacity of 25 miles.
Completing his service in 1972, Dolby would leave the military, eventually settling with his wife, Yvonne, in California where he had roots, before moving to Arizona.
Dolby said he originally heard about the idea for the Anthem Veteran’s Memorial from his wife and said he was immediately intrigued by the project.
“Once I heard about all the thought and preparation that went into the design I got a little bit excited about it,” he said. “I don’t know to what degree, but I certainly think it
will be a draw.”
Along with purchasing a brick paver commemorating his service Dolby will honor what is a family tradition of services as he has purchased pavers for his grandfather, who served in the Spanish American War, his father, and his older brother.
“I was the last in the family to serve in the military,” he said.
Additionally he purchased one for his father-in-law and a long-time friend who also lives in Arizona, both of which served.
“That will be special, all of us in a row together,” he said. “When you’re in the military, no matter when you served or what branch, you’re a band of brothers. There’s a respect and a unity of being a part of a team that can’t be matched.”
For information on purchasing a paver go to onlineatanthem.com.
From time-to-time leading up to the Nov. 11, 2011 Veteran’s Day ceremony The Foothills Focus will be featuring veterans that will be a part of the memorial’s ring of honor. Contact us so we can share your story of military service at ffeditiorial@hotmail.com or by phone at 623-465-5808.