Sons and daughters from all over the U.S. are serving their country in the war in Iraq, and the Centreville, Chantilly, Clifton area is well-represented. In this issue, Centre View presents the first in a series of vignettes about local youth in the military, as seen through the eyes of their loved ones at home.
Anyone wishing to share their stories in future issues should call 703-917-6430 or e-mail centreview@connectionnewspapers.com.
<mh>Kenny and Phillip Davis
<bt>Diane and Kenny Davis of Centreville have two sons — both in the Army. Kenny Jr., 23, a 1997 Centreville High grad, is still in training at Fort Rucker, Ala. But Phillip, 20, a cavalry scout, left last Sunday for North Iraq.
"His unit goes in with the ground forces and scopes out the enemy," said his mother. "They back up the Marines and are among the first ones to go into an area."
Although naturally worried, the Davises are as proud as punch of their boys and are being as brave as can be. "I'm sure I'm going to have bad days, but I'm trying to stay positive," said Diane. "I'm going to keep my faith, pray every day and stay strong."
She's already tied yellow ribbons around a big oak tree in her front yard and hung up American and Army flags. "I wear patriotic earrings and Army pins the boys sent me," she said. "And I'm going to decorate Phillip's bedroom with a flag, a Bible, his picture and a candle."
A bus driver for Fairfax County Public Schools, she's driven students to and from Centreville and Chantilly High and Union Mill and Centreville elementaries for the past 30 years. Kenny Sr., a former Marine, was wounded in Vietnam and received the Purple Heart. And his father retired from the Air Force as a colonel.
A 2002 graduate of West Point, Kenny Jr. is now a second lieutenant who just received his pilot's license. "He flies Apache and Blackhawk helicopters — they have no doors and hover over treetops," said his mom. "He's been training for the gunner position on them. He was supposed to have two years' training, [but the war's changed that]. I talked to him [last week], and he said that, within six months, he could be over there."
Phillip just deployed from Fort Polk, La. Before joining the military, he enjoyed four-wheeling in his truck and hunting with his grandpa. "He's a good marksman," said his mom. He was on the wrestling team at Centreville High and graduated in 2001. He then went to boot camp at Fort Knox, Ky., before heading to Louisiana in January 2002.
He was just promoted to private first class and is with the second squadron, second armored cavalry regiment. He'd expected to go to West Point in June, but was glad to get overseas orders.
"He wanted to go," said Diane Davis. "He even volunteered to go over earlier when they were shipping the Humvees and other equipment. He's also a gunnerman on a Humvee — he's one, tough cookie."
Still, she was sad when he told her his destination was Iraq "because it's going to start getting ugly, in a few weeks. Phillip said he could be there eight months to a year. After being at Fort Polk, he said he's used to the hot weather, mosquitoes and sand — it'll just be the real thing."
She's watched some of the war coverage on TV, but can't take too much of it. "Then I stop and get busy doing other things," she said. "I'm getting a lot of spring cleaning done early." As for her husband, he admits, "I'm a little anxious, but we know [our sons] have had good training, so that will carry them through."
Diane just wants everyone to come home safely. "I just pray and hope to God that nothing happens to our soldiers — our young men and women," she said. "They're the real heroes — the reason why we're free."