MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — A lot can change in just a year’s time.

Last spring Dawson Huff was a high school senior helping the John Milledge Academy baseball team on its road to a GISA AAA state championship. One year later things are a little different as the Class of 2017 graduate recently enlisted in the United States Army and is currently undergoing basic training at Ft. Benning just south of Columbus. 

Today marks his 19th birthday and the first time he will celebrate the occasion away from his home, family and friends. With letters sent through the mail as his only real line to home, a group of people closest to him met Friday on the John Milledge football field where he helped the Trojans win their first-ever state championship to celebrate his birthday the best way they could without him here. 

More than 20 family members, friends, as well as former coaches and teammates congregated in the middle of the field and spelled out a birthday message to the young man who now serves our country.

“We just wanted to let him know how much we all love him and miss him,” said Candi Huff, Dawson’s mother, who could often be heard above all others at sporting events cheering her son on.

Soon after Friday’s celebration, pictures of the group’s message along with a signed birthday card were sent off to Huff in hopes that they reached him in time for his birthday today. His mother also recorded video messages that she will be able to share with her son the next time she sees him, which she says can’t come soon enough.

“We will see him May 11, and I’m so excited about it,” mom Candi said. “They have a family day Friday, May 11, and we’ll get to see him that Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”

Dawson has been in basic training for about eight weeks now and is set to graduate in June. Many soldiers often get to come home for a short visit after graduating from basic training, but Huff will go right into Airborne School also at Ft. Benning. 

He is the son of Candi and Phillip Huff and older brother to Ethan, who is currently in school at John Milledge. 

Dawson was named All-County Defensive Player of the Year by The Union-Recorder for his stellar senior season as a linebacker on the football field and his bat was a big reason why the Trojans won the baseball state championship last spring.