thedrifter
05-09-07, 05:41 AM
Howell twins answer call to serve America
Mark & Tony DeFeo seeing action in Iraq with U.S. Marines
BY TOYNETT HALL
Staff Writer
HOWELL - Twin brothers Tony DeFeo and Mark DeFeo of Howell are serving their country as they continue to fight in Iraq as U.S. Marines.
The 23-year-old DeFeo twins who are graduates of Howell High School and have lived in the community for 15 years are among the tens of thousands of American men and women who answered the call of duty to serve their nation in the war against terrorism.
With no definitive plans for the future and a strong desire to travel overseas, Tony enlisted in the Marines in May 2004. Mark followed in his brother's footsteps two years later.
Tony and Mark are the sons of Chuck and Doreen DeFeo.
Doreen DeFeo, who described her sons as fun-loving, outgoing boys, said although they are separated from everything they have known in their lives, the experience of serving in Iraq has helped them grow into strong, mature and confident individuals.
"I am very proud of them and everyone else should be as well. They have made a huge sacrifice," she said.
While the DeFeo brothers are serving in Iraq at the same time, they are stationed in different units.
"I serve in artillery and my brother serves in the infantry," Tony said in a telephone interview with Greater Media Newspapers. "I do not see him, however, I support him by shooting artillery 20 miles into another city. I miss him terribly, but I know that every night when I look at the Iraqi moon my brother is staring at that same moon."
Although he is separated from his brother, Tony said he does not feel alone.
"Over here it's like one big family. We look after each other's back more than we look after ourselves," he said.
Doreen shared the same sentiments as her son and said, "they're never alone. We have to have faith that all the men and women are going to make it home safe."
Tony said that during convoys or when he is walking the streets with fellow troops he wonders if one of his uniformed comrades could be his brother. He said he has to resist the urge to call out his brother's name.
Through this story, he said, he wanted to tell Mark "hello and stay safe."
The idea of twins serving together at the same time leads to a question about military policy on family members serving together.
Department of Defense spokesman Major Stewart Upton said, "there is no Department of Defense policy to prohibit family members from serving together on the same ship or in the same unit, or in the same combat zone in the military."
However, Upton said, the "department policy does provide an exemption for a sole surviving son or daughter receiving an assignment or duties involving actual combat with the enemy if a written request for noncombat duty is submitted. A sole surviving son or daughter is the only remaining son or daughter in a family where the father, mother or one or more of the sons or daughters served in the military and because of the hazards with such military service were killed."
Ellie
Mark & Tony DeFeo seeing action in Iraq with U.S. Marines
BY TOYNETT HALL
Staff Writer
HOWELL - Twin brothers Tony DeFeo and Mark DeFeo of Howell are serving their country as they continue to fight in Iraq as U.S. Marines.
The 23-year-old DeFeo twins who are graduates of Howell High School and have lived in the community for 15 years are among the tens of thousands of American men and women who answered the call of duty to serve their nation in the war against terrorism.
With no definitive plans for the future and a strong desire to travel overseas, Tony enlisted in the Marines in May 2004. Mark followed in his brother's footsteps two years later.
Tony and Mark are the sons of Chuck and Doreen DeFeo.
Doreen DeFeo, who described her sons as fun-loving, outgoing boys, said although they are separated from everything they have known in their lives, the experience of serving in Iraq has helped them grow into strong, mature and confident individuals.
"I am very proud of them and everyone else should be as well. They have made a huge sacrifice," she said.
While the DeFeo brothers are serving in Iraq at the same time, they are stationed in different units.
"I serve in artillery and my brother serves in the infantry," Tony said in a telephone interview with Greater Media Newspapers. "I do not see him, however, I support him by shooting artillery 20 miles into another city. I miss him terribly, but I know that every night when I look at the Iraqi moon my brother is staring at that same moon."
Although he is separated from his brother, Tony said he does not feel alone.
"Over here it's like one big family. We look after each other's back more than we look after ourselves," he said.
Doreen shared the same sentiments as her son and said, "they're never alone. We have to have faith that all the men and women are going to make it home safe."
Tony said that during convoys or when he is walking the streets with fellow troops he wonders if one of his uniformed comrades could be his brother. He said he has to resist the urge to call out his brother's name.
Through this story, he said, he wanted to tell Mark "hello and stay safe."
The idea of twins serving together at the same time leads to a question about military policy on family members serving together.
Department of Defense spokesman Major Stewart Upton said, "there is no Department of Defense policy to prohibit family members from serving together on the same ship or in the same unit, or in the same combat zone in the military."
However, Upton said, the "department policy does provide an exemption for a sole surviving son or daughter receiving an assignment or duties involving actual combat with the enemy if a written request for noncombat duty is submitted. A sole surviving son or daughter is the only remaining son or daughter in a family where the father, mother or one or more of the sons or daughters served in the military and because of the hazards with such military service were killed."
Ellie