Arts and Humanitarian Biography for David Xavier Kenney

For over forty years I have been a collector of art, militaria, and ancient artifacts.

1975 to 1976: Member of the Naples Archaeological Society/Naples National Archaeological Museum. Part time excavator with a volunteer team doing rescue archaeology at the site near Lago di Patria (the purported but unverified location of Scipio Africanus\'s villa) in Campania, Italy.

1977 to 1987: Volunteer and Consultant to various non-profit humanitarian and arts organizations. Member of the Board of Governors of the Copley Society, Boston, 1985 to 1986.

1982 to 1991: Painter/Sculptor with various single and group gallery shows. Works of art are in many collections, including the Permanent Collection of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum*; the collections of the Rt. Hon. Margaret H. Thatcher of the United Kingdom (1982); Senator Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy of Massachusetts (1983); HRH Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (1983); HSH Prince Rainier III of Monaco (1985); Huntswoman and Couturier Lady "Molly" Cusack Smith of Galway, Ireland (1987).

* The painting received special verbal praise from the White House Curator. This and a companion painting were created in 1989 specifically to be presented to President Ronald Reagan. However this was changed, instead the painting was presented to President George H. W. Bush at the White House in Feb. of 1991. Titled KATA II (Knight 2), it is part of a series of oil on canvas paintings done in two different styles (the Steppenvolk Series). It depicts a 3rd C. BC Scythian archer that is facing the viewer on a rearing horse in profile. The companion painting titled KATA I (Knight 1) depicts a 3rd C. BC Scythian lancer in profile leaning forward on a charging horse. This painting was last known to be in a private Parisian art collection. Many of the other paintings of that series were last known to be in an important private art collection in the outskirts of Paris.

1982 to 1987: Conducted independent studies of Central Asian cultures and history.

1984 to 1986: Fashion Model with the Hart Agency, Boston. Rate Model for various magazine and catalogue assignments.

1985: With the High Patronage of HSH Prince Rainier III of Monaco and various notables, created and produced the "Surrealist Ball," a fundraiser for the French Symphony of Boston given at the Lafayette Hotel (now the Hyatt Regency), Boston. The event was in fact the first time that the name Surrealist Ball had been used. That name is now referred to for several famed previous surrealist dinner events, it is currently used internationally.

1991: Selected as a Potential Combat Artist for the U.S. Marine Corps Historical Division.

1991 to 2004: Independent then Cooperative Volunteer for obtaining official recognition, then "full recognition" of Gulf War Syndrome (GWS, aka Gulf War Illness, GWI). 1994 to 2004 independently provided information to government (high level), military, veteran, and medical circles of one of the most effective (if not the most effective) GWS treatment protocols known at that time.

1997 to 2000: President of the South Carolina chapter of the Arts and Humanitarian service club Amitie Sans Frontieres International headquartered in Monaco. Presented the Gold Medal of Office by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Sporting Club in 1997. 1998 to 2001: American Representative to the Council of Administration of Amitie Sans Frontieres International.

1996 to 2021: Military Advisor to the Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMMED), a non-profit medical research institute located in Huntington Beach, CA.

2000 to Present: Creator of jewelry designs that incorporate reproductions of artifacts from the Roman legions.

2001 to Present: Obtained and researched artifacts that appear to validate a Roman Era connection to the Medieval legends of King Arthur.

2002 to Present: Founded Roman Officer Arts and Design as a corporation doing internet sales of jewelry and to display my private collection to the public. Artifacts from this collection have been published in the Teaching Company DVD "Experiencing Rome"; the books "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Swords and Sabres;" "Roman Buckles and Military Fittings;" "Pugio - Gladius Brevis Est: History and Technology of the Roman Battle Dagger" (BAR International Series 2404), the cover of "The Death of Caesar" by Barry Strauss that includes a French as well as a German edition, and the Italian magazine FENIX, as well as other various magazines and many newspapers articles.

2007: Announced on this website, that according to art on Upper Paleolithic stone artifacts it appeared that H. Sapiens may have interbred with Neanderthals. In 2010 genetic anthropologists announced that they had solid (scientific) evidence of such stone age interbreeding. 

Speeches

1998: Speaker for ASFI to HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Sporting Club, Monaco.

2007: Speaker to the II International Conference of Arthurian Studies at Terme Stufe di Nerone, Baia, Italy.

2010: Special Guest Speaker to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines Vietnam Reunion Group at the Holiday Inn Riverwalk, San Antonio, Texas.

2011: Speaker for IMMED to Artists For The Walking Wounded, at the Raleigh Hotel, Miami South Beach, Florida.

Letters

1998: Personal Letter of Appreciation from HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.

1999: Letter of Appreciation from Sergeant at Arms Robert Johnson New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Papers

2004: "The Living Legend Of King Arthur (The Sacred Blood of San Gennaro)", presented at an Arthurian conference at the University of Ruhr in Bochum, Germany and published with other papers in the book "King Arthur: Tra storia e leggenda" by Athena Press, presented by Gerald Bernhard and edited by Mario de Matteis and Antonio Trinchese.

2007: "The Saxon Ring of King Arthur as War god and Navigator" presented to the II International Conference of Arthurian Studies, Baia, Italy, also presented was a concept that the Roman Parazonium may have been an inspiration for the legendary sword Excalibur. The papers of the conference are published in the book titled "Lo Re Artu k\'avemo perduto" by Athena Press and edited by Mario de Matteis and Antonio Trinchese, with prefaces by Franco Cardini and with collaboration of Giuliana Pianura.

Travel

Over fifty countries in the Atlantic, Baltic Sea, Caribbean, Central Asia, Eastern Asia, Europe (including the Arctic), Mediterranean, North Africa, North America (including the Subarctic), North Atlantic, Pacific, and Persian Gulf.

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Other Information

Age: 68

Education: 1975 to 1978: Attended the University of Maryland (BA Program, part time) and Nathaniel Hawthorne College (BBA/BS Program, full time).

Employment (Full and Part Time): 1968 to present: Farm Worker, Kitchen Worker, Stock Boy, Factory Worker, Carpenter\'s Helper, Tree Service Worker, Landscape Laborer, School Administration Assistant/Substitute Teacher (High School), Restaurant/Pub Founder/Co-Owner/Operator, Fine Artist, Security Guard, Security Supervisor, Fashion Model, Personal Protection Officer (included assignments to two Royals of different nations), Private Security Consultant, Vice President of an International Corp. introducing and consulting for newly developed American products (computer software, industrial equipment, and military/police personal equipment) to Persian Gulf countries, Landscaping/Lawn Service Owner/Operator, Construction Worker, Insurance Representative, Entertainment Agency Owner/Operator, and currently President Roman Officer Inc./Independent Researcher (Art and History).

Military 1973 to 2007 (with several breaks in service): Gunnery Sergeant 0369 U.S. Marine Corps (Ret), twenty one years active and reserve:

Military Occupational Specialities; 1381 (Shore Party Man), 0311 (Rifleman), 0369 (Infantry Unit Leader).

Billets; Shore Party Man (some amphibious, but primarily with Helicopter Support Teams attached to Artillery, or Infantry, or Ship\'s Flight Decks), Guard, Guard Driver, Det. Corporal of the Guard (Guard billets - Guard Company, Marine Barracks), Rifle Squad Leader, Rifle Platoon Commander (acting, fifteen months) then Platoon Sergeant*, Weapons Company/Battalion Fire Support Coordination Chief, School Of Infantry Combat Refresher Training Section (experimental) SNCOIC then OIC (acting OIC, eleven months), Fleet Marine Force G-3 Crisis Action Team (CAT) Operations Chief, and Operations Chief for Fleet Marine Force G-3 Operation/Exercise assignments.

Additional Billets, Special Duty, or Temporary Duty Assignments included; Ship\'s Marine Brig Guard, Files Clerk, Escort/Chaser (deserters only), Special Guard Details (included VIP protection and high value/risk protection or under guard), Guard Alert Force Commander, Ahkio Team Leader, Recruiter Aide (volunteered by direction, an experimental extended duty program on quota, all objectives were achieved), Cat "P" Instructor, Unit Instructor (Infantry), Combined Arms Staff Trainer Chief (three assignments), various Infantry Unit Leader Operations Chief assignments, and DOD funded Joint Contact Team Program Class A Agent/Escort Officer - eight assignments with foreign officers (in the following order; Helicopter Squadron Commanders, Logistics MOD, Infantry/Mechanized Infantry/Special Forces, Aviation Border Patrol, Special Forces/Special Operations, Training MOD (two concurrent with a MOD J-7 and members of his staff), and officers of an experimental Coastal/Naval Infantry unit for familiarization tours.

* Usually at full or near full strength, due to the platoon\'s personnel\'s unique collegic/veteran mix/ratio (during that period and shortly after) it was a rather distinct Marine rifle platoon, only having common ground with the same being noted with a Marine rifle company in WWI, although even a bit more unique.

Vincit Veritas