Dean Sharp
 

I was drafted in December, 1968 and did BCT at Ft. Campbell and 11 Hotel AIT at Ft. Polk. I arrived in-country in the last half of July, 1969, a little over a week after my first son was born. I was a rifleman in Charlie Company 1/5 in the Quan Loi area. Later became the 1/5’s first combat photographer. Ended up at Phouc Vinh with JD and the First Cav photo staff, and covered operations in III Corps and Cambodia until July, 1970 when I returned home.

After Vietnam I got to know my now year-old son and wife again and started my career as a commercial artist at Johnson Wax in Racine, WI. Then moved to Schlitz Brewing in Milwaukee and worked in a variety of creative and marketing positions. Along the way I earned a BS in marketing from the University of Wisconsin and then went to the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. In late 1981 I moved to Louisville, KY to join Brown and Williamson Tobacco. Worked there for over 11 years in a number of marketing positions including Promotion Director, New Product Director and Group Director Marketing Services.

A little over ten years ago I moved to Chicago to join Leo Burnett, a large ad agency, where I am now a Senior VP/Account Director. My client for the last five years has been….the US Army. We do all their recruiting advertising, lead generation, events, Web site and other marketing. It’s been interesting to say the least. Me, a former sergeant, telling a roomful of generals and colonels what they should be doing to market the Army. It has also been very challenging as it is such a big, complicated product. In addition to about 100,000 young adults a year, I also recruit thoracic surgeons, Catholic priests, lawyers, trumpet players and Special Forces Soldiers.

Making photographs remains a passion so three and a half years ago I moved into a large, old loft in a part of downtown Chicago called the East Pilsen Arts Community. It provides living space as well as studio and work space. I try to shoot whenever I can, either in my studio or outside. I am also affiliated with the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago, the largest museum of its kind in the world. To have work in the collection you need to have been in Vietnam during the war. Some of you may want to think about donating work to the museum’s permanent collection.

Along the way I raised two fine sons, Michael (36) and Daniel (32), both of whom now work in the computer field. I was divorced over ten years ago.

I’m here with my girlfriend, Barbara, who also likes to make photographs. We’re going to be shooting our way here, down through Wyoming and then back to Chicago.

I’ve been to two reunions of my old infantry unit, Charlie Company, and I am curious to see how this one goes compared to those.

Retirement? Who knows? We’re planning to win the Army contract for another five years. But, I hope to be able to make photographs for a long, long time. Share life with someone special. See more of this incredible planet. Watch a lot more sunrises and sunsets. Drink good wine and ice cold vodka. Enjoy good friends. Live.