On Saturday, Sergeant First Class Devon Neer landed at the airport with several Black Hawk helicopters on his way to training on the West Coast. Nia is the senior noncommissioned officer for Charlie Company, 3-4th Attack Helicopter Battalion, and the senior noncommissioned officer advisor to the commander. He graduated from Lake Havasu High School in 2005 and also attended Daytona Junior High School.
As a sign of gratitude for all that former Mayor Mark Nexen has done to support the troops, Near invited him to watch the Black Hawks stop by to refuel.
“This will probably be one of the last times I'll fly over Lake Havasu,” Nier said. “I wanted to end his military career with the most patriotic mayor I've ever had the privilege of knowing.”
Nier pointed out that soldiers often feel like strangers when they return home. People moved on with their lives and everything changed.
“I always did the Freedom Rides when I got home. It felt like I was coming home again. They were so welcoming,” he said. “I knew everyone was there to cheer me on, and many service members didn't feel alone when they returned home.”
“Right after I was elected, I started Welcome Home with Patriot Guard Riders,” Nexen said. “At first there were only a few people, and it blossomed mainly because of the Patriot Guard riders. They do a great job of getting people on motorcycles.”
When service members return home from training, deployment, retirement or other events, a Patriot Guard rider will accompany them on their bikes along London Bridge Road to VFW Post 4901 or American Legion Post 81.
They will be welcomed with an American flag “tree-line” by veterans, military moms and Lake Havasu City Council members. They receive a certificate from the mayor, are thanked for their accomplishments, and are presented with military memorabilia and memorabilia.
When Devon and his troops (commonly known as the “Casino Company”) arrived, they were greeted by grateful community leaders who welcomed them in the Havasu tradition.
The welcome party was attended by Mayor Cal Sheehy, former Mayor Nexen and his wife Eileen, Deputy Mayor Cameron Moses and his daughter Kennedy, Councilman David Lane, Kim McCoy, and former City Council member Donna McCoy. Airport manager Rob Cain and his wife, airport management specialist Cindy Herzog, were also in attendance.
Mayor Sheehy presented all 53 Charlie Company members with a certificate of appreciation, which read, “We are grateful and proud of you for your actions in protecting our freedom.'' ” was written.
Senior Sergeant Near also handed out certificates of appreciation to each regional leader for their “selfless support to all service members.”
When an officer is given command, a senior noncommissioned officer is designated as an advisor and “command partner,” according to company commander Col. Erin Caverly. She said she felt “lucky” to have Mr. Devon as her noncommissioned officer.
“Devon is a great command partner. He's very smart and cares very much about his soldiers,” she said. “He never lets me do anything bad. He's good at making sure what I'm doing is by the book and that I'm making the right choices.”
Mr. Caverly believes everyone should consider the military or other forms of service to our country. She thinks it's really important to challenge yourself and grow in ways you wouldn't normally do.
Devon and his wife Kanjanakorn have a 3-month-old daughter named Prima Evelyn. When asked what she thought of her husband's military career, she replied: If you're going to be the spouse of a military member or first responder, you need to be patient and strong. ”
After graduating from LHHS, Nia decided to forego college and join the Army, stating that she wanted to “earn a reputation for myself, see the world, and learn from other cultures.”
Unless he stays in the military with a promotion to sergeant major, Near plans to retire within two years after 20 years of service, including two combat tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. He has already been offered a job as a defense contractor in Virginia upon his retirement from the Army.
For most of his active duty career, Nia served as a flight instructor, responsible for training and evaluating crew chiefs, door gunners, flight medics, surgeons, and others who fly in the back of a helicopter to perform their duties.
He now manages the soldiers full-time and calls them “family.”
Reflecting on the past 18 years, Nia says: The biggest thing I've learned is to be humble. You can learn from any hierarchical level. ”
He believes that everyone should gain experience in some aspect of the military, no matter what branch. “You can know your strengths and weaknesses and learn how to overcome them.”
The Blackhawks took off gracefully in an aerial ballet for their next mission, picking up one of Havasu's heroes. No matter what happens next, Devon Near will bring his quick smile, eagerness to learn, and leadership skills to the next chapter of his life. He will remember the welcome he received at Havas, and Havas will remember him.
