‘I’m stuck in a motel and bored out of my mind’ — A Navy officer copes with COVID-19 restrictions

Trevan Davis showed plenty of toughness in becoming a high school football legend in Thomasville.

Years later as a Navy officer, he's dealing with something much more challenging — going about his duties amid restrictions due to the coronavirus.

Davis is a 12-year Navy veteran who rose up to E-7 in the enlisted ranks before becoming an officer last year. He is an ensign who is assigned to the Aegis Training Readiness Center in Dahlgren, Virginia, where he is training to become a Tactical Action Officer on a warship.

Many functions even when it comes to the military have been shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But not everyone.

“To be honest, it's making life a little tough,” Davis said. “So the base that I'm on here has shut down. However, the school house where I'm receiving training has been deemed mission critical, so we are going to keep training.”

The former Thomasville High School star running back faces significant restrictions of movement, making him feel especially isolated.

“I can't go outside of 50 miles from the base, which means I can't go home to Florida on the weekends and I can't come down to see my mom in North Carolina. So I'm stuck in a motel in the middle of nowhere alone and bored out of my mind.”

Dahlgren is two and a half hours north of Norfolk and an hour from Washington, D.C.

A history of success

In his early days, Davis made a name for himself on the gridiron and as a sprinter for the track team. As a senior, he won four gold medals at the 2002 1-A state meet.

In one of his most famous performances, Davis carried the ball 50 times for 363 yards in Thomasville's 29-28 win over Albemarle in 2001. The 50 carries are listed as sixth all-time for a single game in the NCHSAA record book.

“Trevan is one of the toughest individuals I have ever coached,” said Benjie Brown, who was Thomasville's coach from 2000-06. “I saw him that weekend after the game. I know he was willing to do whatever it takes for his team and now his team is the Navy.”

Davis has a copy of that game on video.

“I still watch it with my sons from time to time,” Davis said. “More so with my son that's in Thomasville. Just letting him know he has a name to live up to with sports because he's in Thomasville and everyone knows his dad.”

Davis went on to play wide receiver at Catawba, where he was joined by fellow Bulldog and current Central Davidson coach Clayton Trivett.

He eventually found his way to the Navy and worked his way up through the ranks, serving on various warships.

“While I was enlisted, I was a Chief Operations Specialist,” Davis said. “A pretty diverse rate. We track ships, aircraft, subs and a few other things.”

The most recent ship Davis served on was the USS Roosevelt, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer homeported in Mayport, Florida.

When he transferred off the USS Roosevelt, he went to the Afloat Training Group in Mayport. Davis then got his commission through the Limited Duty/Chief Warrant Officer program, which required an E-6 or E-7 rating. He did not have to attend Officers Candidate School. He learned of his selection while on assignment in Bahrain.

“We don't have to do boot camp all over again like the OCS guys,” Davis said. “We are all subject matter experts.”

He was commissioned in September.

“Trev, he was a great kid, a great competitor,” said Brown, who is currently the head football coach at Montgomery Central. “… I knew he had a great work ethic and I had no doubt he would be successful in whatever endeavor he decided to do.”

That eventually led to his assignment in Dahlgren, where he has been the last three weeks. He is scheduled to graduate May 8, but that is subject to change because of the COVID-19 situation.

“I may be stuck here longer,” Davis said. “Still trying to find a work around when it comes to that.”

Right now, it's about coping.

“The best way anyone could,” Davis said. … Just day by day. It's tough.”

©2020 The Dispatch, Lexington, N.C. – Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.