Photo By Spc. Leith Edgar | Capt. Frank Williams Jr., trial counsel, 1169th Engineer Group, reads a story about...... read more read more
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By Spc. L.B. Edgar,
7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - While a father wears the 1st Cavalry Division combat patch on the battlefield in Iraq, on game day, half a world away, his son sports the same patch on the gridiron. Both father and son wear the same patch into their respective battles.
Capt. Frank Williams Jr., trial counsel, 1169th Engineer Group, has seen every one of his son's games until this season, he said.
That's because in July he mobilized for deployment to Iraq, just after his son left to attend the U.S. Military Academy on a football scholarship, said the Cullman, Ala., native.
For Williams it was his first time deploying and for his son it was his first time away from home, let alone exposure to military training, he said.
Now a plebe (Freshman) at West Point, Carson Riley Williams is the starting quarterback for the Black Knights. The nineteen-year-old has come a long way from home, his father said.
The West Point cadet and freshman starter faces more than the challenges of the field. He must balance scholastics with military training and being a division I athlete, Williams said.
Even though Williams has missed most of his son's games this season, he still takes comfort knowing that Carson wears the same patch for games as he puts on every morning to go to war, he said.
"We were shocked when they (West Point) placed the 1st Cavalry patch on his chest. Both of us thought it was ironic we'd both be wearing the same patch," Williams said. "He and I both liked the idea. It's like the icing on the cake. I think he wears it very proudly knowing I wear it over here too."
Before the season Williams did not think he would even see his son play as a freshman, let alone start.
"When he got to West Point he was fifth on the depth cart. One player got injured and he worked his way up to the backup position." Then during the Texas Christian University game, Carson was called on to the field to lead the West Point football troops down the field, Williams said. "We're just small time country boys. I was proud and shocked."
Though Carson is at the height of his football career, his father is unable to see much of him in action because of his deployment, he said.
Instead of seeing his son's games he now has a weekly phone call, which keeps the father and son close.
"We don't have a lot of time to talk on the phone. I just try to get him ready for the next game. I talk to him once a week and give him a little advice," Williams said.
Despite the distance between father and son, they both take consolation in being able to wear the same patch on game day.
| Date Taken: | 11.22.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 11.25.2006 16:01 |
| Story ID: | 8369 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 164 |
| Downloads: | 85 |
This work, Same patch, football brings father and son closer, by SPC Leith Edgar, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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