Mrs. Linda Davis was awarded the Mr. Charles E. Pimble Special Operations Department of the Army Civilian Lifetime Achievement Award during the annual SODAC awards ceremony held at the Army Special Operations Command Headquarters, Fort Bragg, North Carolina Oct. 13.
Mrs. Davis was selected for the position as Secretary to the Commander, 75th Ranger Regiment Nov. 4, 1984, just 31 days after the founding of the modern day Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia. Mrs. Davis duties and responsibilities have grown to include administrative activities that support the Ranger Regiment's commander and Regimental sergeant major, two Ranger deputy commanders, one civilian deputy commander, the Regimental executive officer, and the protocol officer.
After receiving news of her selection, Mrs. Davis stated, "I have actually spent half my life here and sincerely cannot think of any other place I would rather work. The other places I have worked were 'jobs', this has been a 'life'; one that I would not trade for anything."
Mrs. Davis has accumulated more than 35 years of federal service beginning as clerk stenographer for the Secretary of the Army Security Office, Pentagon in Washington, D.C., while enrolled in high school as part of the Vocational Office Training Program. Mrs. Davis then moved to the Fort Benning, Georgia area as a clerk stenographer for Lawson Army Airfield. One year later, the Ranger Regiment's administrative assistant position was made available.
Why serve with the same organization for 31 years?
"In working in this unit, you're not just part of a unit or team, you're 'family'. The two most honorable titles I have ever held are, 'Ranger Sis' and 'Ranger Mom'," Davis said.
Mrs. Davis duties include the scheduling of command team travel, maintaining relationships with the "Ranger Greybeards" -- a distinguished group of 75th Ranger Regiment alumni, and regular communication with the Ranger Regiment Gold Star families, providing guidance for assistance whenever the need arises.
"The Rangers; their tenacity, strength, professionalism, loyalty, esprit de corps, their love of their Country, the love for their Brother, their heart…they are the reason I stay," Davis said. "They won my heart more than 31 years ago, and they still have it."
Mrs. Davis' awards include the Order of Saint Maurice-Civis, Meritorious Civilian Service award, and two Commander's Awards for Excellence. In 2008, then-75th Ranger Regiment Commander Col. Richard Clarke designated Nov. 4 as "Linda Davis Day".
Mrs. Davis was born in Maryland and is married to Mark C. Davis of Corvallis, Oregon. As an advisory member, Mrs. Davis assists various Ranger Associations to include the U.S. Army Ranger Association, Ranger Memorial Foundation, 75th Ranger Regiment Association, and the Worldwide Ranger Association. She is actively involved with the associations at their monthly meetings held at the Columbus, Georgia Veterans of Foreign Wars.
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