military

Guardsmen with local ties head to Iraq

Army National Guard Sgts. Ryan D. Welker and Jason R. Davis have deployed overseas to a forward operation location in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Welker and Davis are technical engineer sergeants ordinarily with the 35th Engineer Brigade at Fort Leonard Wood. Welker was deployed to Afghanistan in 2002 and Iraq in 2003 with the U.S. Army 101st Airborne 187th Infantry Air Assault. He re-enlisted with Missouri National Guard in December 2003. He is the son of Daniel and Karen Welker of Cape Girardeau. The sergeant is a 1999 graduate of Notre Dame Regional High School and was attending St. Charles Community College. Davis is the son of Susan M. Crawford of Arnold, Mo. The sergeant is a 1998 graduate of Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis and received a bachelor's degree in 2003 from Southeast Missouri State University.

-- From staff reports