thedrifter
10-06-05, 06:24 AM
Brothers unite as Moonlighters maintainers
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
Story by Cpl. Micah Snead
AL ASAD, Iraq (Oct. 4, 2005) -- Two Marines from Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 are making the unit’s deployment a family affair.
Sgt. Nick Hollon and Cpl. Chris Hollon deployed here with the Moonlighters of VMFA(AW)-332 in July. The Bensalem, Pa., natives, knew the Marine Corps was a small world, but they never expected to be working side by side in Iraq.
Nick, the older of the two, was first to join the Marine Corps, enlisting in 2000 after graduating from Bensalem High School.
“My father was a Marine, so I knew a little about it,” said Nick. “I knew I wanted to do something different, so I signed up. I wanted to fly, but that wasn’t in the cards, so I went to work on jets instead.”
After graduating recruit training and his military occupational specialty school, Nick was assigned to the Moonlighters, based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., as an F/A-18 Hornet safety equipment mechanic. His brother would not be far behind. Chris enlisted after graduating high school during 2002.
“He’s been trying to catch up with me ever since he joined,” Nick said. “But, one of his drill instructors was a Marine I use to work for, so I had friends waiting for him at Parris Island.”
“You could say I got a little more training than the rest of my platoon,” Chris said.
With recruit training and MOS school nearly complete, Chris, a Hornet powerplants mechanic, found out he had orders to VMFA(AW)-533, which shares hangar space with the Moonlighters in Beaufort.
“I was pretty excited about it,” Chris said. “I was looking forward to being on the same base, and being able to hang out with him.”
The brothers wound up closer than either of them expected.
“The squadron was deployed at the time he was supposed to check in,” Nick said. “I encouraged an administration Marine to switch his orders to ’332 and that was it.”
Coming into the same squadron as his older brother, who by that time was an experienced, respected Marine, carried benefits and extra responsibilities, Chris said.
“It was nice to have someone to really look out for me,” Chris said. “On the other hand, he had already built a good reputation around the squadron so I knew I was going to have to live up to what others expected from me.”
Although the brothers worked in separate sections, Nick was able to share knowledge and guidance about the squadron with Chris.
“This squadron is really good about making new Marines feel like they are joining a family,” Nick said. “The sections usually break the new guy in pretty well, but with Chris I was able to fill him in on stuff that maybe no one had told him, or show him some things I had learned after working in the squadron for a while.”
The brothers never had to look far for a friendly face around the squadron, barracks or during a Western Pacific deployment.
“It was nice, like old times,” Nick said. “I had been out before so I knew places to take him and how things would work. Before I was married, we hung out around the barracks a lot. Now, I make him come by the house and cut my grass on the weekends.
“I think the best part is always having someone there to talk to, no matter what it was about. We could always look out for each other,” he said.
When the squadron began to prepare for this deployment, the brothers had to convince their parents they would be better off deploying together.
“Even though he’s a little bigger, mom made me promise I’d look out for him,” Chris said. “He’s the only blood link I’ve got on this side of the world, of course I’m going to watch his back. I think she realized we would really be there for each other during the deployment, and that would help both of us.”
Both Marines have risen above their peers since joining the Moonlighters. Nick is currently the squadron color sergeant and Chris recently won the squadron noncommissioned officer of the quarter board. Having two first-rate Marines come from the same family tree is unique, said Sgt. Maj. Nicholas J. Bourikas, the Moonlighters’ squadron sergeant major.
“They are both outstanding Marines and it is really nice to see two brothers who are so close with each and excelling at what they do,” Bourikas said. “I promised their mother I would bring both of them home from this safely, and I have every intention of doing that.”
The brothers also realize this deployment could be their last time together in the Marine Corps.
“I think we both know that with the turn of a card we could end up in totally different places, separated longer than we’ve ever been before,” Chris said. “Until then, we’re just enjoying the opportunity to be so close.”
Nick is considering a return to Parris Island as a drill instructor while Chris wants to ride out more time with the Moonlighters and look at his options then. Both Hollon brothers serving as drill instructors wouldn’t be a bad way to keep close, Nick said.
“Obviously he could never work for me, but it would be nice if he followed me there,” Nick said. “Having him as close as possible is the best feeling in the world.”
While two years separate the brothers in time in service to the Marine Corps, there are few other areas where one can outshine the other. But, familiarity can also breed competition.
“We definitely push each other to be better Marines,” Chris said. “I think I beat him on the last (physical fitness test), but his wedding ring was probably slowing him down a little.”
The Moonlighters are a tight-knit family, but having true family in the same rank and file is priceless, Nick said. Whether they were brought together by luck, chance or design, the Hollon brothers intend to make every moment count.
“It has been a great experience,” Nick said. “Not many people get this kind of opportunity. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Ellie
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
Story by Cpl. Micah Snead
AL ASAD, Iraq (Oct. 4, 2005) -- Two Marines from Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 are making the unit’s deployment a family affair.
Sgt. Nick Hollon and Cpl. Chris Hollon deployed here with the Moonlighters of VMFA(AW)-332 in July. The Bensalem, Pa., natives, knew the Marine Corps was a small world, but they never expected to be working side by side in Iraq.
Nick, the older of the two, was first to join the Marine Corps, enlisting in 2000 after graduating from Bensalem High School.
“My father was a Marine, so I knew a little about it,” said Nick. “I knew I wanted to do something different, so I signed up. I wanted to fly, but that wasn’t in the cards, so I went to work on jets instead.”
After graduating recruit training and his military occupational specialty school, Nick was assigned to the Moonlighters, based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., as an F/A-18 Hornet safety equipment mechanic. His brother would not be far behind. Chris enlisted after graduating high school during 2002.
“He’s been trying to catch up with me ever since he joined,” Nick said. “But, one of his drill instructors was a Marine I use to work for, so I had friends waiting for him at Parris Island.”
“You could say I got a little more training than the rest of my platoon,” Chris said.
With recruit training and MOS school nearly complete, Chris, a Hornet powerplants mechanic, found out he had orders to VMFA(AW)-533, which shares hangar space with the Moonlighters in Beaufort.
“I was pretty excited about it,” Chris said. “I was looking forward to being on the same base, and being able to hang out with him.”
The brothers wound up closer than either of them expected.
“The squadron was deployed at the time he was supposed to check in,” Nick said. “I encouraged an administration Marine to switch his orders to ’332 and that was it.”
Coming into the same squadron as his older brother, who by that time was an experienced, respected Marine, carried benefits and extra responsibilities, Chris said.
“It was nice to have someone to really look out for me,” Chris said. “On the other hand, he had already built a good reputation around the squadron so I knew I was going to have to live up to what others expected from me.”
Although the brothers worked in separate sections, Nick was able to share knowledge and guidance about the squadron with Chris.
“This squadron is really good about making new Marines feel like they are joining a family,” Nick said. “The sections usually break the new guy in pretty well, but with Chris I was able to fill him in on stuff that maybe no one had told him, or show him some things I had learned after working in the squadron for a while.”
The brothers never had to look far for a friendly face around the squadron, barracks or during a Western Pacific deployment.
“It was nice, like old times,” Nick said. “I had been out before so I knew places to take him and how things would work. Before I was married, we hung out around the barracks a lot. Now, I make him come by the house and cut my grass on the weekends.
“I think the best part is always having someone there to talk to, no matter what it was about. We could always look out for each other,” he said.
When the squadron began to prepare for this deployment, the brothers had to convince their parents they would be better off deploying together.
“Even though he’s a little bigger, mom made me promise I’d look out for him,” Chris said. “He’s the only blood link I’ve got on this side of the world, of course I’m going to watch his back. I think she realized we would really be there for each other during the deployment, and that would help both of us.”
Both Marines have risen above their peers since joining the Moonlighters. Nick is currently the squadron color sergeant and Chris recently won the squadron noncommissioned officer of the quarter board. Having two first-rate Marines come from the same family tree is unique, said Sgt. Maj. Nicholas J. Bourikas, the Moonlighters’ squadron sergeant major.
“They are both outstanding Marines and it is really nice to see two brothers who are so close with each and excelling at what they do,” Bourikas said. “I promised their mother I would bring both of them home from this safely, and I have every intention of doing that.”
The brothers also realize this deployment could be their last time together in the Marine Corps.
“I think we both know that with the turn of a card we could end up in totally different places, separated longer than we’ve ever been before,” Chris said. “Until then, we’re just enjoying the opportunity to be so close.”
Nick is considering a return to Parris Island as a drill instructor while Chris wants to ride out more time with the Moonlighters and look at his options then. Both Hollon brothers serving as drill instructors wouldn’t be a bad way to keep close, Nick said.
“Obviously he could never work for me, but it would be nice if he followed me there,” Nick said. “Having him as close as possible is the best feeling in the world.”
While two years separate the brothers in time in service to the Marine Corps, there are few other areas where one can outshine the other. But, familiarity can also breed competition.
“We definitely push each other to be better Marines,” Chris said. “I think I beat him on the last (physical fitness test), but his wedding ring was probably slowing him down a little.”
The Moonlighters are a tight-knit family, but having true family in the same rank and file is priceless, Nick said. Whether they were brought together by luck, chance or design, the Hollon brothers intend to make every moment count.
“It has been a great experience,” Nick said. “Not many people get this kind of opportunity. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Ellie