( CNN ) -- Army Maj. Steven Hutchison fought battles in the jungles of Vietnam . Then he fought an epic battle on the home front . And at age 60 , he still was n't done fighting for his country . Maj. Steven Hutchison served 22 years in his first Army stint , then returned at age 57 . He died Sunday . The battle ended for Hutchison on Sunday . He died in Basra , Iraq , of wounds from a roadside bomb in Al Farr . He is the oldest U.S. service member to die in Iraq or Afghanistan . Hutchison joined the Army in 1966 and served two one-year tours in Vietnam , according to a news release from Fort Riley , Kansas , home of Hutchison 's 1st Infantry Division , the famous `` Big Red One . '' Over the next 22 years , he was a platoon leader in Germany and commander of a basic training company at Fort Jackson , South Carolina . Along the way , he earned a doctorate in psychology from the University of Delaware and became an assistant professor of military science at Claremont College in California . He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal , among others . Hutchison retired from the military in 1988 and took up the quiet life of a college professor . He taught at several small colleges in California and became a researcher for a health care company in Scottsdale , Arizona , said his brother , Richard Hutchison . But Hutchison felt compelled to return to military service after the terrorist attacks of September 11 . His wife , Kandy , vetoed that idea , however . That decision proved fateful , as Hutchison was able to stand by his wife 's side through her battle with breast cancer . She died of the disease in January 2006 . The always-athletic Hutchison channeled his grief by whipping himself into shape and returning to active duty at age 57 the following year , his brother said . Military rules say retirees may be recalled up to age 64 for general officers , 62 for warrant officers and 60 for all others . Hutchison served a tour in Afghanistan and then was sent to Iraq , where he was part of a team training Iraqi forces to secure their own country . `` He 's been a soldier his whole life , '' Richard Hutchison , of Mesa , Arizona , told CNN affiliate KNXV-TV . Watch a report on Hutchison 's life » . `` He was a great guy , '' he said . `` We hung around together ; we went to the movies together , went out to dinner together . He loved to shoot pool ; we used to shoot pool all the time , either at my house or at his house . He was just a great friend and a great brother . '' The soldier-psychology professor , who is also survived by two daughters and two half-siblings , had a mischievous side , too . `` He liked to tease me about him being younger than me , even though he was five years older than me , '' Richard Hutchison said with a soft chuckle . `` He would tell everyone he was the youngest one . And they would believe him . Made me feel real good . '' Richard Hutchison plans to fly to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware over the weekend to claim his brother 's body and return it to Scottsdale for burial . The last communication the brothers had was a routine e-mail Steven Hutchison sent from Iraq about two weeks ago . He rarely wrote about his experiences in Iraq , Richard Hutchison said . However , there was one matter on the ground that the soldier involved his brother in . `` When he was in Iraq , they found a dog and were taking care of it . He sent me an e-mail asking me to send some dog food and dog supplies , '' Hutchison said . The Army made Hutchison 's team give up the dog , but they left it in good hands , his brother said . `` He had a big heart . '' CNN 's Adam Levine , Larry Shaughnessy , Barbara Starr and Joe Sterling contributed to this report .
Army Maj. Steven Hutchison , 60 , becomes oldest American killed in Iraq . Hutchison retired after 22-year Army career , volunteered to return years later . Psychology professor served tours in Vietnam , Afghanistan and Iraq . During interim , he stood by wife during her fight against cancer .