OXFORD — This summer, officials in a number of Oxford County towns found themselves in the market for a code enforcement officer when Kingston Brown announced he had reenlisted in the U.S. Army.

At the age of 37, Brown decided it was now or never to chase his longtime goal of earning his place in the U.S. Army Special Forces. “I’ve still got my vision, still got my hearing, I’ve still got my health. And I’m in the best shape of my life.”

This will be his second attempt to join the Green Berets and he likes his chances. “One day I woke up, and I felt called,” he said. “I just decided I was ready. I felt called to go back and finish what I started.”

After graduating from Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in 2005, Brown joined the Army and served in the 3rd Infantry Division until 2009.

In 2007 he was deployed to the Middle East for 15 months, splitting his time between the Iraqi cities of Hit and then Rutbah.

“I’ve been out for 16 years,” he said. “But what I didn’t finish was becoming a Green Beret. I made it through the selection process in 2008, but didn’t get the (final) selection.”

After returning to Oxford Hills, Brown began his career as a municipal building inspector for Paris in 2017. Then referrals started piling up, taking him into the surrounding communities. He added part-time roles first with West Paris, then Woodstock, Hebron and Gilead. 

He became Oxford’s full-time code enforcement officer 2021. He picked up Peru and Buckfield and served as an alternate for Norway, Bethel and Andover.

A typical day for Brown is spent at the Oxford town offices on business while juggling contacts from all towns and doing Oxford inspections and site visits. After hours he traverses among the smaller communities.

Brown phased out his contract work by the end of July. His last day with Oxford will be Sept. 19.

He has been preparing himself for the return to the Army since reenlisting in March.

He challenged himself to do a “rough march,” running trails in his combat boots and plate carrier, with a full kit on his back.

“If I could do that and heal the next day, and not feel broken, I knew I could do it,” he said. “And I did. It was like I was back.”

Brown is confident he will persevere, even being 15 to 20 years older than the other soldiers with whom he will go through boot camp and Special Forces selection. He was 20 when he started his first selection round; he feels his maturity will give him an edge this time.

“It’s a grueling process, but I know what to expect,” he said. As a Green Beret, even in peacetime there will “always be something going on, which is all I can say about it. There is always work to do.”

Brown could find himself filling any number of roles at U.S. bases in Germany, Korea or Italy, providing humanitarian aid in third-world countries, or in a future conflict. And if he needs to serve during war again, he said he is ready to do it.

Before going for the Special Forces, Brown will have to complete five months of boot camp, starting over with the rank of private first class.

“At first I wasn’t excited about boot camp,” he said. “I just wanted to get back to selection as quick as possible. But then I realized that I can also be a mentor to the younger crowd. So I really am excited about that. At least, I hope I can teach them something and they won’t be running circles around me instead.”