Major (P) Richard B. Davenport recently came home to Campobello on leave from his Afghanistan position and spent time with his family; father, Cary, and stepmother, Bridget at the family farm. Davenport’s wife, Mary Catherine, and their five daughters all joined the family for outings.
Davenport is a U.S. Army master sergeant. Currently he is assigned as a security officer advisor to the Afghan National Army (ANA) 4th Brigade 203rd Corps, which is commanded by BG Raziq. Davenport has been assigned to this post since Sept. 24, 2011, when he arrived at the FOB Shank, which is in the Logar Province in Afghanistan. Davenport is the psychological operations officer assigned to BG Raziq by the Third Army U.S. Central division.
BG Raziq is in charge of the 4th Brigade 203rd Corps, which has six battalions and 4,500 Afghan soldiers. The corps covers both Logar Province and the Wardak Province (just south of Kabul). The people of Afghanistan respect BG Raziq because of his success against fighting the Taliban and the Soviets when he was a Mujaheddin commander, Davenport said. Raziq is a religious Muslim Mullah. Davenport said the civil leaders in the Karzai government, such as the ministry of defense and ministry of information, often communicate with Raziq to resolve issues. The elders of the local villages also respect him because he is a Pashtin and a Mullah.  The military, the BDE and especially the corps listen to Raziq’s advice, Davenport said.
“The most rewarding aspects of my job are the relationships that are made, especially with B.G. Raziq,” Davenport said, “because I spend most of my time with him, listening to his stories and his thoughts on Afghanistan from the past, present and future, which are meaningful and rich in value. I also enjoy Raziq’s stamina and joyful character.”
Davenport graduated from the University of Alabama ROTC program, receiving a bachelor of arts degree in 1993. He also studied Chinese at the language institute at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Following his infantry assignments, Davenport spent five years commanding two psychological operations detachments and one psychological operations company with the 4th Psychological Operations Group. After completing Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., he was assigned to the Third Army Central, where he has served as information operations directorate since January 2009.
Davenport’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Superior Unit Award, the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the War on Terrorism Global Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Air Assault Badge, the Combat Action Badge, the Expert Infantry badge, the Master Parachutist badge and the Ranger Tab.
Davenport is married to the former Mary Catherine Hanson. They have been married for 14 years and have five daughters: Hanson, 13; Parker, 8; Patterson, 7; Kate, 5, and Olivia, 3.
– article submitted by Barbara Childs