Gaven Cox is a 5 year old boy diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).  The disease has an 85% cure rate in children and Cox has been going through some aggressive treatments to fight the disease. 

Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Cox was given one wish.  Initially he wished for McDonald’s, but his mother urged him to choose something bigger (luckily he didn’t say I want to go to space), instead of McDonald’s he chose being a Soldier for a Day, wanting to have been a soldier since he was three.  The Foundation immediately put Cox’s wish together with the Army, and in Cox’s hometown of Crandall, Texas, he was sworn into the Army and promoted to [Honorary] Corporal immediately (he also attained honorary Crandall City Fire Fighter and by city mandate the day of his commencement was named in his honor), making Gaven Cox the nation’s youngest soldier.

Upon becoming a soldier in the Army, Cox needed training and was sent (along with his family) to Ft. Hood, Texas, where upon arriving at the base was promoted to Sergeant. Sgt. Cox received training in killing enemies while on horseback, simulation training in a Longbow Helicopter Simulator, and a ride in a Black-Hawk.

George Slefo of the Killeen Daily Herald writes:

Yet even with all the fun, Gaven became overwhelmed with activity and collapsed to his knees after finishing an activity. Within seconds, a soldier identified only as Pvt. Isaac picked him up and put him on his shoulders.

“You all right?” Pvt. Isaac asked.

Sgt. Cox nodded.

“Good,” Pvt. Isaac said. “You’re a soldier now.”

By the end of the day the 1st Cavalry Division had assembled in a ceremony to mark the honorable discharge of Sgt. Gaven Cox from his service to the Army.

Good Luck, Ret. Sgt. Gaven Cox.

[WCSH6 Video]

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