Douglas County Commissioner Ricky Dobbs Jr. is packing his bags and saying goodbye to his loved ones. A father of two young daughters, Dobbs said Monday he had also planned a farewell dinner for his family at his Douglasville home, complete with a special salmon dish.
Dobbs, 35, is deploying overseas with the U.S. Navy Reserve amid the deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas. The Naval Academy graduate said he would be stationed with his unit’s headquarters in Naples, Italy, where he would help deter outside threats to Israel.
“It just means a lot to be able to help and contribute,” said Dobbs, a lieutenant commander who previously deployed aboard the U.S.S. Sirocco to Bahrain. “Once I got off active duty last year, I never knew if I would have an opportunity to go back and be a part of just about anything other than training. But to make an impact on this… is pretty meaningful.”
Dobbs’ deployment, which could last a couple of months, illuminates how the violence in the Middle East is reverberating across the Atlanta area. Georgia’s religious communities and police agencies are boosting security and the state’s public school systems are urging vigilance in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Since that surprise attack, antisemitic harassment, vandalism and assaults have risen sharply in the United States, according to a report released Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. Most were directly tied to the Israel-Hamas war.
The Cobb County Police Department is investigating after motorists were confronted with antisemitic slogans laser-projected onto an overpass at I-75 South in Kennesaw.
“We recognize the deep distress and concern incidents of this nature may cause, particularly to our Jewish community members and other targeted groups,” the department said in a statement. “We stand in solidarity with all residents of Cobb County and are dedicated to ensuring the safety and security of every individual. Hate has no place in our community, and we will work to ensure that those responsible for any violations of law are held accountable.”
More than 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed during the Hamas attack and 220 civilians, including women and children, were kidnapped, according to the United Nations. Gov. Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp are planning to meet at the State Capitol Tuesday with an Israeli delegation consisting of relatives of some of those hostages.
Seeking to rescue the hostages and root out Hamas, Israel’s military advanced deeper into the northern part of the Gaza Strip Monday. Meanwhile, more than 7,700 Palestinians have been killed and more than 19,740 have been injured since the Israeli military campaign began, according to the UN, which cited information from the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza.
A day after the Hamas attack, Pentagon announced it was sending military warships closer to Israel as a show of support. And on Thursday, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s press secretary, told reporters that 900 U.S. troops have deployed or were in the process of deploying to U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, which includes the Middle East. Among them are troops assigned to units based in North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas.
“While I won’t talk specific deployment locations for these forces,” Ryder said, “I can confirm that they are not going to Israel and that again, they are intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster U.S. force protection capabilities.”
The Georgia National Guard said Monday that while its troops have routinely deployed to the Middle East for more than two decades, its “requirements have not been adjusted in response to recent events.”
Dobbs spoke with reporters about his deployment after attending a work session with fellow Douglas commissioners Monday morning. The Navy Reservist, who teaches health and fitness at Douglas County High School, is planning to participate in commission meetings online while he is overseas.
“In these cases, I never stop being a teacher, or I never stop being a commissioner. All of that stuff will kind of keep going,” said Dobbs, who was a standout quarterback at the Naval Academy. “I just have got to find a way that I can make it all happen.”
Dobbs called his mission bittersweet.
“I know this is what I signed up for,” he said, adding: “One of the toughest things is I have a 9-year-old daughter… She is understanding. I am grateful for that. But it is just an adjustment you have to make.”
Douglas Commission Chairman Phil Miller said Dobbs’ mission “touches our heart.”
“He is going to serve a much bigger cause,” said Miller, the county’s former sheriff. “We are just so proud of him. I know he will do good over there and he will help accomplish what we want to accomplish over there.”
AJC staff writer Chris Joyner contributed to this report.
