Douglas N. Petersen

Doug Petersen grew up on the East Coast and began his lifelong commitment to service early, enrolling in a military college before enlisting in the U.S. Army. He became a helicopter pilot and served as a medevac pilot in Vietnam, flying under the call sign Dustoff 34. As a decorated Vietnam veteran, Doug flew life-saving missions under fire, rescuing hundreds of wounded soldiers and civilians from the battlefield.

He continued his military career for over 20 years, serving as an Army aviator with assignments across the U.S. and two tours in Germany. Throughout his service, he flew several aircraft, including the UH-1H Huey, OH-58A Kiowa, UH-60A Blackhawk, C-12, and U-21. Doug was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal—Congress’s highest civilian honor—alongside numerous other military decorations, including the Meritorious Service Medal, 21 Air Medals, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and the Presidential Unit Citation. He retired as a Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4).

Following his military retirement, Doug dedicated 25 years to the financial services industry, where he helped military families build financial security. His commitment to serving others continued through writing, public speaking, and coaching. Doug is the award-winning author of six inspirational books, three of which received Global eBook Awards in the Inspirational/Visionary Non-Fiction category.

His latest work, Call Sign: DUSTOFF 34 – Hovering Between Life and Death, offers a powerful and deeply personal account of his experiences flying medevac missions during the Vietnam War. The book captures the harrowing realities of combat rescue and honors the courage of the Dustoff crews who risked everything "so others may live."

Doug has spoken nationally, including a TEDx talk in San Antonio, where he recounted one of his Dustoff missions in Vietnam.

Doug and his wife, Ann, remain actively involved in volunteering with non-profits that support military and veteran families.