Published: Monday, April 2, 2007
Funds from 'Flags for Freedom' let group help troops' families
The daughter of a local couple heads the Family Readiness Group of an Army unit deployed to Iraq.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
American flags flown in Iraq by the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, are making their way to American front yards, homes and offices.
The paratroopers of the I-73 CAV have been raising and lowering a new flag every hour on the hour since they arrived in Iraq in November 2006. The "Flags for Freedom," as they've dubbed them, then become available for purchase from the unit's Family Readiness Group (FRG).
One hundred percent of the proceeds go to activities and projects that support the unit's soldiers and their spouses, said Jodi Italiano-Davidson.
She is the wife of Army Lt. Col. Ross E. Davidson, commander of the I-73 CAV, and is the leader of the I-73's FRG.
She is also the daughter of retired Army Col. Angelo J. Italiano and his wife, the former Joan Stevens of Youngstown. Italiano, a graduate of Austintown Fitch High School, is a sanitarian with the Mahoning County District Board of Health. His wife, Joan, is a graduate of Chaney High School.
Italiano-Davidson, an "Army Brat" as a child as her father moved around in his military career, was born in Youngstown, but never lived here permanently.
Her current Army home is Fort Bragg, N.C., where the 82nd Airborne Division is located. She and Davidson met while they were attending Ohio State University, where she received a bachelor's degree in textile and clothing and he received a business degree. He was also a member of the Reserve Officer Training Corps at OSU and was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation.
Home away from home
While her home is not in Youngstown, she spends a lot of time here with her parents when her husband is deployed overseas. In fact, she came to Youngstown to give birth to her now-2-year-old son, Ross Angelo Davidson, and is again here while her husband spends his third tour in Iraq.
Davidson was supposed to return home April 15 after a four-month tour, but his unit was recently extended indefinitely, she said. He has also led combat missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo.
It is when her husband's unit is deployed that Italiano-Davidson swings into high gear as the outfit's family readiness group leader.
Davidson has 700 men under his command, which translates to 360 spouses, including four husbands, and many children, she said.
"I have found that the spouses, especially the younger ones, find comfort in the companionship that is offered through the FRG. It helps them understand they are not alone," Italiano-Davidson said.
What the group does
The FRG provides a connection to the unit through which families get important information, develop friendships and receive moral support, helping them to better cope with deployments. Also, the soldiers' stress is reduced knowing that the unit has provided an avenue for their family members to get reliable information and help when needed, she said.
"For me personally, I not only have my family to turn to when I have fears and doubts, but I also turn to ... the other battalion commander's spouses within the Brigade and Division. The majority of these ladies have had very similar military experiences ... and when I need anything from a friend to FRG advice, I can call on them as well as they can call on me," she said.
"I get a great deal of satisfaction just knowing that I am able to help the younger wives understand and cope with being a military spouse and the hardships that come with it. Being a military wife is uniquely demanding and the wives need to know they always have a support system available. It is extremely gratifying to assist these selfless spouses," she said.
She keeps the spouses of the deployed soldiers informed about the unit through a monthly newsletter and helps them when they need assistance with problems such as a car breaking down or going to the bank to get a loan. She also meets once a month with company FRG leaders in her husband's unit to coordinate activities.
The readiness group organizes monthly meetings and social activities for spouses, and also does other things, such as providing baby-sitting for occasional "much needed" nights out, and preparing care packages for their soldiers, Italiano-Davidson said.
Financed by flag sales
It is these kinds of activities and projects that money from the sale of the flags help finance, she said.
The flags are often bought to keep or display patriotism, and they make wonderful gifts, she said.
"I have found that many people want to support the troops but don't know how. This is a good way," she said.
The flags sell for $25, plus an additional $5 for shipping if the buyer wants them to be delivered to their home. Each flag comes with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Davidson and Sgt. Maj. Brian Krabbe, the command sergeant major of 1-73rd CAV. Sometimes soldiers who fold the flags also slip a signed note into the flag, Italiano-Davidson said.
To see Davidson and the 1-73 on a mission in Iraq, go to www.youtube.com. In the search box, type in Exelen III. It is an interview done by CNN that was bumped by the death of Anna Nicole Smith, Italiano-Davidson said.
More Stories from Thu, Apr 5, 2007
- Eagle Scout project for soldiers soars
- Inmate's escape puts private prison under microscope
- Preganant woman used knife to rob, police say
- Y'town busting out with events
- No water-for-income tax in Canfield deal
- Driver in hit-run appeals his sentence
- Homeowner sues diocese over damage from flooding
- Union Twp. seeks funds to demolish old barracks
