Navy Veteran Reenlists Two Decades Later, Inspired by Son’s Service

The responsibilities that Brett Davenport had to his family brought a sudden stop to his time in the Navy in the year 1998. He was released from the Navy after nearly ten years of service because he was unable to fulfill the requirements of the family care program. He had exclusive custody of his two young sons. It appeared as though Davenport's military career was finished, as he had always envisioned himself becoming a chief petty officer.

‍

On the other hand, Davenport's youngest son, Clayton, joined the Navy in 2016, which rekindled his passion to serve his country. The experience of watching Clayton graduate from boot camp aroused Davenport's feelings of nostalgia, which in turn led him to research his options for reenlistment. Davenport was determined to meet the rigorous physical requirements of the Navy, even the fact that he was in his late 40s and weighed more than 290 pounds. Through a combination of diet and exercise, he was able to shed 57 pounds over the course of 18 months.

‍

As Davenport's civilian job closely resembled his experience in the Navy, he was able to reenlist at the age of 49 without having to undergo all of the technical training again. Clayton, who had subsequently been promoted to the rank of petty officer first class, even assisted his father in adjusting to the new uniform standards for the Navy through the use of Facetime.

‍

Davenport has accomplished his objective of raising his rank to that of chief petty officer, and he is currently serving in the Navy Reserve Center Houston. He describes the experience of serving with his son as "absolutely amazing" when he thinks back on his voyage and tells himself that it was the best of his journey.

‍