For 22 years, Mayor Dennis Davoren defended his country by flying some of the world’s most advanced aircraft.

He piloted a B-52 Stratofortress, the United States Air Force’s long-range strategic bomber. He also flew the U-2, the nation’s high altitude reconnaissance plane.

Currently, Davoren, retired, volunteers his time defending the rights of fellow veterans. Ret. Major Davoren is a Veterans’ Service Officer, helping fellow vets get the correct benefits from the Veterans Administration.

Davoren says the VA doesn’t always know all its own rules. Davoren has transformed himself into a veterans advocate by scrupulously learning the government guidelines. Davoren now works in the field of cybersecurity, but his passion is helping veterans.

He was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as a result of his service. His PTSD manifested itself as alcoholism. Davoren has been sober for the past three and a half years, after battling alcohol for most of his life.

Alcoholism can be tough. Davoren says that the military’s lifestyle accepts drinking as long as you do your job. On Sundays, he said most base libraries are closed. Meanwhile, you can buy alcohol at multiple venues on base.

Major Davoren will be the keynote speaker at the annual Veterans Day ceremonies at the Ray Olley Memorial Statue, in front of A.N. Webber, 2150 US 45, Kankakee.

The event will be at 11 a.m. Nov. 8. The National Anthem will be performed. Denny Case will be the master of ceremonies. The Olivet Nazarene University ROTC will present the colors. Static displays will include the Hummer H2 Battlecruiser and an Air Force display by Truckin’ for Veterans. Buglers Nick Venuso and Emma Caise will sound “Taps.”

There will be food/snacks and a basket raffle. A white tent will be set up on site, with chairs.

The Ray Olley Memorial, which was spearheaded by JoJo Sayson, is designed to call attention to the problem of PTSD. The late Ray Olley was a World War II Navy veteran from Bourbonnais.

PTSD to be addressed

Major Davoren will address PTSD in his remarks. It has affected his life and the lives of many others. Davoren’s service came to the attention of Sayson when the physical therapist treated him for neck and spine issues.

Davoren relates stories from his service. Once he was in training. The Air Force uses smaller designated training planes rather than taking out a huge aircraft every time.

Davoren was behind the controls, with another pilot sitting next to him. As they were awaiting clearance for takeoff, they had to delay. They were unable to “chase” another plane that was involved in a fatal collision. After that, Davoren made it a point to know flying procedures and rules, understanding what should have been done.

He also knows Air Force personnel from the service, who had the job of remotely controlling drones. Through the drone, they would surreptitiously follow someone, sometimes for months. Then they would be ordered to kill the target.

“That takes it out of you,” Davoren says. “It is not a game anymore.”

Davoren, retired since 2011, lives in Angier, N.C., but his roots are in Illinois. He grew up in Sauk Village and graduated from Rochelle Township High School, Class of 1983.

Working for UPS at night, he went to DeVry University.

Deeply patriotic, he had always wanted to fly. He was the type of person inspired by the ending credits, years ago, when television networks would sign off for the day, as flags fluttered and jets roared overhead on the screen. His father, stepfather, uncle and other relatives had all served hitches before him. His determination, though, was to make the military a career.

Though he had never flown before joining the Air Force, he made it through the pilot selection process and headed to Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, for training.

He was assigned to fly B-52s out of Griffiss Air Force Base, New York. The B-52 is a huge plane with a crew of six. His plane was part of the nuclear alert system. He flew bombing missions during Desert Storm in 1991.

There was anti-aircraft fire, he says, but “it was nothing we couldn’t handle. We felt pretty safe.”

He was then assigned as an Air Liaison Officer with the First Armored Division in Bosnia, helping to coordinate air cover.

For three years, he helped train air navigators for the Navy.

From 1999 to 2006, he piloted U2S. That was a fairly exclusive assignment. Only 17% of the applicants are named to pilot the single-seat aircraft.

The high-altitude spyplane cruises at 70,000 feet, double the height of commercial airliners. Most of us look up to the contrails, white streams that show the trails of planes. Davoren would look down at them.