Anthony Edwards at Airborne Graduation May 24, 2012.

How many phone calls can I get from one very proud Mother who now has three sons serving in the United States Army? Well she does have one more son left at home so my guess is maybe four! Proud Mother Donna Edwards (Smith) called to tell me that number three son United States Army Private First Class Anthony Edwards, 20 years, has graduated from the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program ( RASP) and Airborne training! He is assigned to the 75th Ranger Regimental Special Troops Battalion (RSTB), Regimental Intelligence Company at Ft. Benning, Georgia. As a Ranger, PFC Edwards will be in the same job classification as his older brother Staff Sergeant Kevin “Buddy” Edwards as a Military Intelligence Analyst (MOS 35F).

PFC Anthony Edwards is a 2011 Fillmore High School Graduate, graduating early in December 2010. He entered the United States Army on June 13, 2011 finishing his Army Basic Training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. After graduating from Basic Training PFC Edwards completed his advanced training at Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, Arizona home of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center as a Military Intelligence Analyst. In this position he has obtained a “Military Top Secret Clearance.” The intelligence analyst supervises, performs, or coordinates, collection management, analysis, processing, and dissemination of strategic and tactical intelligence. PFC Anthony Edwards prepares all source intelligence products to support the combat commander. Additionally he assists in establishing and maintaining systematic, cross-referenced intelligence records and files and receives and processes incoming reports and messages. PFC Edwards assists in determining significance and reliability of incoming information, in integrating incoming information with current intelligence holdings and prepares and maintains the situation map. He contributes in the analysis and evaluation of intelligence holdings to determine changes in enemy capabilities, vulnerabilities, and probable courses of action. Other duties include the preparation of Order of Battle records using information from all sources and in the preparation of strength estimates of enemy units. PFC Edwards is also responsible for proofreading intelligence reports and assists in consolidating them into military intelligence. He prepares Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) products. Without a doubt for any military combat operation someone in the position of PFC Anthony Edwards plays a critical role on the battlefield.

PFC Anthony Edwards is the son of Kevin Edwards and Donna Edwards (Smith), of Fillmore. Sergeant Edward’s Maternal Grandparents are, Ronnie and Chris Smith of Fillmore. His Paternal Grandmother, Sharon Stewart lives in Oregon. His Paternal Grandfather was the late Jim Edwards. Jim’s widow, Rebecca Edwards, also lives in Oregon. PFC Edwards siblings are U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Kevin “Buddy” Edwards, 28 years, U.S. Army Reserve Sergeant Michael “Mikey” Edwards, 26 years and Brett Edwards, 17, a Senior at Fillmore High School. Staff Sergeant Kevin “Buddy” Edwards is a recent recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and is currently deployed in Afghanistan on his fourth deployment.

All of us here in the communities of Fillmore and Piru are very proud of PFC Anthony Edwards and his brothers Staff Sergeant Kevin “Buddy” Edwards and Sergeant Michael “Mikey” Edwards. We thank them, and their family, for their service and their sacrifices they have already made and will make in the future to keep the United States of America strong. With three sons serving in the United States Army during this time of conflict I have no doubt they given very much already. We additionally wish them safe travel and long and successful United States Army Careers. Private First Class Anthony Edwards, Staff Sergeant Kevin “Buddy” Edwards and Sergeant Michael “Mikey” Edwards are true American Heroes!