When Aleut Federal employee and veteran Kevin Davis looks at his students at the #Carrasco Job Corps campus in El Paso, Texas, he sees himself, his children, and the former enlisted subordinates and peers he led in the U.S. Army.
As the Social Development Director for the Carrasco campus, Davis knows the value and importance one person can make in the difference of underprivileged students who may have a myriad of needs and challenges beyond just the educational part of Job Corps.
Enlisting in the US Army in 1997 into the Field Artillery Military Occupational Specialty where he ultimately obtained the rank of as Sergeant First Class, Davis’s career has spanned seven deployments, with four of those being to Iraq and Afghanistan. Later in 2008, he transitioned to Chief Warrant Officer 3 specializing in targeting. He retired in 2018 after 21 years and immediately took on his role overseeing the dormitories and recreation programs at the Carrasco campus.
As the father of five – four sons and a daughter – he knew he wanted to give back and that Job Corps and Aleut Federal fit within his core values. “I came from an underprivileged background and so to serve this mission is easy for me. I have always coached various athletic teams including my own children’s teams, so it is easy for me to relate to the student population here,” said the Texas native.
Davis has applied his vast leadership and military experience to nurturing his students and staff. “The military discipline and structure are important but not imposed. Patience is the key. Many of our students have a background that they are working hard to overcome so sometimes I am just listening to them as opposed to overreacting,” he said. “For me, it has been seamless. It is about if that person has been through something, you have to adjust your methods. I have 355 students with 355 personalities.”
Support goes both ways between Davis and Aleut as well. Davis said he appreciates the Aleut culture of supporting veterans. “It’s something you don’t think about every day, but our company takes the time to make it happen.”
#HireAVeteran #veterans
#MissionsThatMatter
Clint Benfield
