Photo Information

Lance Cpl. Andrew K. Davis (right) stands with his brother, Army Spc. Stuart C. Davis, in front of a CH-46 Sea Knight at Al Asad, Iraq, March 8. The crew chief with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 774, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, saw his brother, who is a production control specialist with 2nd Battalion, 224 Aviation Regiment, MAG-16, for the first time in more than a year. The Davis brothers are natives of Mechanicsville, Va.

Photo by Lance Cpl. James B. Hoke

Brothers come together during Iraq deployment

9 Mar 2006 | Lance Cpl. James B. Hoke 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

Deployments are often looked at as time spent away from loved ones and family. However, for Lance Cpl. Andrew K. Davis and Spc. Stuart C. Davis, the deployment was the first thing in more than a year to bring them together.

The two brothers, natives of Mechanicsville, Va., were able to convene March 8 when their two deployment tours overlapped.

According to Andrew, who is a crew chief with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 774, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, neither brother had the idea that they'd be stationed at the same place in their entire military career.

"We aren't just in the same area, as he is literally right over the hill," said Andrew. "It's awesome. We have been trying the last two weeks just to meet up. We've done e-mail tag, I've gone over there and he's come over here, just to miss one another by a few minutes."

The ability to see one another wasn't the only concern for the Davis brothers.

"We don't get to see each other very often," said Stuart, a production control specialist for 2nd Battalion, 224 Aviation Regiment, MAG-16. "Being the older brother, you worry about him. So I spent some time with him and met everyone he was working with."

Although both brothers enlisted into the military, neither influenced the other into joining.

"He joined about three-and-a-half to four years ago," said Andrew. "I joined about a year-and-a-half ago. He influenced me a little bit on where I went, but not on joining the Marines. I had always wanted to join the Marine Corps."

According to Stuart, being in separate branches of the military has both, brought the two brothers closer together, as well as create new rivalries between them.

"I knew that my brother was going to be in the military," said Stuart. "I think it was a good thing. It brought us closer together, and we definitely have a lot more in common now.

"We definitely have the rivalries going now, too," he added. "He did this. I did that. Mostly about who has the better helicopters and equipment, but it's good to have a little bit of competition between one another."

Because of the rotation schedule, the brothers will only have less than a month to spend time together between their own work schedules, but they don't focus on the time they don't have.

"We are a lot luckier than other brothers out here," Andrew said. "We actually get to see each other. He's going to be here a year after I leave, but at least I can give him all of the stuff that I have accumulated out here to make his stay a little better."

Although the Davis brothers will only have a little more than a few glimpses and conversations with each other during their time stationed here together, it will be a unique experience that imprints itself into their minds for the rest of their lives.