VALDOSTA — The former medical doctor at Moody Air Force Base who was court-martialed in 2002 and sentenced to 15 months at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., is now practicing medicine in McRae.

Dr. Oscar H. Salvat, a former captain, was found guilty on two counts of conduct unbecoming an officer, one count of adultery, and one count of solicitation to commit an offense. He was dismissed from the Air Force, stripped of all military benefits, and had his licenses to practice medicine in Georgia and Ohio revoked.

Representatives from Moody’s 347th Rescue Wing Judge Advocate’s Office said Salvat was found guilty of having sexual intercourse with two patients; one was an adult wife of a military member and the other a 17-year-old daughter of a military member.

Salvat was also found guilty of soliciting another officer to make a false official statement for him.

Salvat, an internal medicine physician, did not return The Times’ phone call request, but told the Telfair Enterprise he didn’t get along with the military lifestyle and that “Had a situation like this evolved in the civilian world, none of these ridiculous and absurd charges would have been brought against me. In other words, there is no civilian equivalent to adultery, as well as the other nonsense.”

The Georgia Composite State Board of Medical Examiners reinstated Salvat’s license without restrictions in August 2005.

Dr. Jim McNatt, Board medical director, said he could not comment on specific cases because of privacy rules. He said when licenses are reinstated without restrictions, cases are thoroughly investigated, and examiners look at surrounding circumstances, like findings during a trial. Examiners also talk to persons who can testify as to the doctor’s medical practices.

McNatt said there are differences between penalties surrounding military and civilian cases.

Representatives with Moody’s Staff Judge Advocate said Salvat’s court-martial did not question his medical skills but instead was an issue of whether he met the obligations of his role as an officer in the U.S. military. They said he was punished under offenses against the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Military officers, they said, are held to a high standard, and military members are considered professionals. They said military business should be beyond reproach and at a minimum adhere to the service’s core values of “Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.”

Salvat faced a general court-martial, representatives said, and chose to stand trial by military judge only, instead of trial by jury.

Representatives said Salvat chose to plead not guilty to all charges and specifications.

Though adultery is not considered an offense in the civilian world, it is a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice which says “ … that under the circumstances, the conduct of the accused was to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces or was of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces.”

Representatives said that there must be some direct impact on unit morale or good order and discipline because of the adultery. A military member can’t be charged with adultery unless there is a military impact.

Salvat told the Telfair Enterprise he is in McRae “ … to do my job and that’s what counts.”

The article also said Telfair Regional Hospital Administrator Joan Hartley was confident in Salvat’s medical history and learned through background investigation that Salvat did not get along with the military.

The article goes on to say Salvat said he believed a letter sent to the Surgeon General of the Air Force reporting “fraud and abuse by his immediate superiors” prompted the court-martial. In the article, Salvat said he ignored the chain of command and informed higher-ups of his concerns. He said that was what prompted the court-martial.