GRAVETTE — Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jack Davis, whose father Jack Davis lives in Gravette, has been making music around the world for several years while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

CWO 2 Davis, who is completing his 17th year in the Corps, has been Officer In Charge of the Marine band in San Diego for five years. His career has been an illustrious one, one which followed his acquiring a musical degree in college. And before that . . . . well, more about that later.

After joining the Marines in 1995 and recruit training, he received his first assignment as trumpeter with the Second Marine Division Band at Camp Lejeune, N.C., where he was Trumpet Section Leader and where he advanced to Corporal as Training Non-com Officer. Davis also was principal trumpet in the jazz ensemble, the concert band and brass quintet.

After advancing to Sergeant in 1998 he earned the Distinguished Student ranking upon completion of training and in 2000 was assigned to the Albany Marine Base Band in Georgia. While stationed there Davis performed with the several band groups and was Platoon Squad Leader. Advanced to Staff Sergeant, Davis served as Operations Chief and Enlisted Conductor.

This advancement led to his assignment to the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, Va., for training where, upon graduation, he returned to the Enlisted Conductor position at Albany.

He was selected for Warrant Officer training in 2006 and, upon completion in 2007, he was assigned to the Marine Band in San Diego as Officer in Charge, a position he has held since that June day. His advancement to CWO 2 came the following year, in August, 2008.

During his career CWO 2 Davis has performed in many high profile commitments in the United States and abroad; among them the Changing of the Guard at the Citadel in Quebec City, Quebec; the Edinburgh (Scotland) International Military Tattoo; and the Rose Bowl Parade.

Davis holds his Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Florida and has Naval and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, Marine Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medals, Global War on Terrorism Medal and a Humanitarian Service Medal.

There is one other medal.It involves his career in the Army, a career when he served as a Medic in a Special Forces Unit which earned him an Army Achievement Medal.

Davis’ father explained, “Jack’s service as a Medic with Special Forces was unknown to his fellow band members and came as a surprise when one of the members broke his leg. Davis was able to immobilize the fracture and carried him to where he could be picked up for treatment.”

News, Pages 7 on 05/02/2012