Doug Labs

After a brief hiatus we’re back with your favorite time of month, Center Point American Legion Veteran of the Month! First though I want to thank Chilled Freezer Meals for providing a meal to each veteran of the month. Your donations are greatly appreciated. Now onto our February veteran. He is a mainstay in the community and I’m sure his last name will be very familiar, congratulations to Mr Doug Labs! Now if you don’t remember Doug’s dad, Don, was also a veteran of the month a couple years ago. 

Doug followed his dad’s footsteps and joined the Army. He served from 1986 -1990. He went to basic training and advanced infantry training at Ft Knox. During basic training he was chosen by all the drill instructors as the Abrams Award winner. This award allowed Doug to come out of basic at the rank of E-2 which gave him a big advantage in promotions, he was able to advance all the way to E-5 or Sergeant in just 3 years. From Ft Knox Doug moved to Ft Riley and was assigned to HHQ 1st of 34th Armored Battalion as the recovery team chief, where his team trained to recover M1A1 Abrams tanks that became damaged or immobile.  

While at Ft Riley Doug and his battalion went to the National Training Center at Ft Irwin 3 times to participate in war games. He also went to Germany one time to take part in exercise Reforger. This exercise took armies from all around Europe and practiced defending NATO countries. During this they massed 10,000 troops on the Russian boarder, just as a show of force and let Russia know that they were there.  

After the Army Doug moved back to Iowa and worked at a canning plant in Webster City before returning home to Center Point to follow his dad’s footsteps again and start in the family construction business in 1997. They built a lot of the houses in new developments around Center Point. In 2008 Doug bought out his dad and created Doug Labs Construction continuing to build houses and other things around the area. 

Just a month ago he started as the Maintenance Director at the new senior living facility in Center Point. In his down time Doug and his wife Deb enjoy riding their Harley, camping and going to the gun range to blow off steam and let some lead fly. Doug and Deb combined families with 5 children and now have 13 grandchildren spread between Texas and Iowa. Thank you for your service to this great country Doug Labs!