thedrifter
04-21-06, 02:17 PM
CAMP MU JUK, South Korea (April 21, 2006) -- Long hours, MREs and the cold weather of South Korea hardly seem to have the making of an impromptu family reunion. However, the training grounds during Exercise Foal Eagle 2006 became a reunion of sorts for three pairs of brothers.
The Knowlton, Trudgeon and Davenport brothers reunited in South Korea during the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing bilateral training exercise with the South Korean military.
Bringing brothers together not only lets them share life experiences together, but also lets them remember what being a family is all about, according to Maj. Eric Knowlton, the safety officer for Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265.
Eric came across his older brother, Brad, a Navy commander with the Naval Reserve Detachment 5 based in Chin Hae, South Korea, during the exercise.
The Dallas natives both joined their respective services within a year of each other. Eric enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1987, and Brad became a Navy commissioned officer in 1988.
When Eric was enlisted he and his brother shared a relationship that crossed from enlisted to officer rank.
"Eric actually gave me my first salute, which was pretty cool," Brad said.
"Our difference in rank never stopped me from giving him a hug though," he added, smiling.
Eric and Brad came from a family that didn't push the military life but highly supported it, they explained. This may be the reason that Eric, Brad and their younger brother, Dan, are all serving in the military.
Their brother, Cpl. Dan Knowlton, a antitank missleman with TOW platoon, Headquarters Company, 4th Tank Battalion, based in Amarillo, TX, is currently deployed in Iraq.
"It isn't until you have family serving in a place like Iraq that you truly appreciate the sacrifices (service members) and their families make," Eric said.
"Danny's a Marine, a grunt and 34 years old," Eric continued, his voice breaking slightly. "He's still my little brother."
Eric lowered his face as the thought of his "little brother" serving in harms way stirred up emotion.
"I'm so proud of Dan," he continued with his voice shaking. "He's the Marine I always wanted to be."
The Knowlton brothers' relationship was not the only one that crossed rank. 1st Lt. Matt Trudgeon, a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter pilot with HMM-265 came across his younger brother by chance while they were both supporting Foal Eagle.
"I didn't even know he was here until I found him, we just happened to run into each other while I was walking home from work," said Matt's younger brother Lance Cpl. Zach Trudgeon, a aviation radar repairer with Marine Air Control Squadron 4, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st MAW. "We don't really work together, but it's cool to have him around."
Matt enlisted in 1997 before becoming an officer shortly into his career. Despite the difference in rank, their relationship as brothers remains the way it should, Zach explained.
"Anytime we're in uniform, we act accordingly," Zach said. "The rest of the time we just give each other a hard time."
The stress of a deployment can be daunting, but the Davenport brothers can rely on each other for support.
Being a Marine anywhere can be stressful, said Cpl. Justin Davenport, an administrative clerk with 1st MAW. Having his older brother, Jacob, a petty officer 2nd class and corpsman with Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st MAW, helps.
"A lot of guys who deploy or get stationed overseas get homesick because they miss their families," Justin said. "I brought a piece of my family with me."
"This has been an experience we can share and talk about for the rest of our lives," Jacob said. "We ended up helping out at an orphanage halfway across the world together. Who else gets to share something like that with their brother?"
When the exercise ended, the Davenport and Trudgeon brothers returned together to Okinawa, and the Knowlton brothers parted ways and headed back to their commands. One thing keeps them all bound beyond blood though; they are serving in the U.S. armed forces.
Ellie
The Knowlton, Trudgeon and Davenport brothers reunited in South Korea during the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing bilateral training exercise with the South Korean military.
Bringing brothers together not only lets them share life experiences together, but also lets them remember what being a family is all about, according to Maj. Eric Knowlton, the safety officer for Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265.
Eric came across his older brother, Brad, a Navy commander with the Naval Reserve Detachment 5 based in Chin Hae, South Korea, during the exercise.
The Dallas natives both joined their respective services within a year of each other. Eric enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1987, and Brad became a Navy commissioned officer in 1988.
When Eric was enlisted he and his brother shared a relationship that crossed from enlisted to officer rank.
"Eric actually gave me my first salute, which was pretty cool," Brad said.
"Our difference in rank never stopped me from giving him a hug though," he added, smiling.
Eric and Brad came from a family that didn't push the military life but highly supported it, they explained. This may be the reason that Eric, Brad and their younger brother, Dan, are all serving in the military.
Their brother, Cpl. Dan Knowlton, a antitank missleman with TOW platoon, Headquarters Company, 4th Tank Battalion, based in Amarillo, TX, is currently deployed in Iraq.
"It isn't until you have family serving in a place like Iraq that you truly appreciate the sacrifices (service members) and their families make," Eric said.
"Danny's a Marine, a grunt and 34 years old," Eric continued, his voice breaking slightly. "He's still my little brother."
Eric lowered his face as the thought of his "little brother" serving in harms way stirred up emotion.
"I'm so proud of Dan," he continued with his voice shaking. "He's the Marine I always wanted to be."
The Knowlton brothers' relationship was not the only one that crossed rank. 1st Lt. Matt Trudgeon, a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter pilot with HMM-265 came across his younger brother by chance while they were both supporting Foal Eagle.
"I didn't even know he was here until I found him, we just happened to run into each other while I was walking home from work," said Matt's younger brother Lance Cpl. Zach Trudgeon, a aviation radar repairer with Marine Air Control Squadron 4, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st MAW. "We don't really work together, but it's cool to have him around."
Matt enlisted in 1997 before becoming an officer shortly into his career. Despite the difference in rank, their relationship as brothers remains the way it should, Zach explained.
"Anytime we're in uniform, we act accordingly," Zach said. "The rest of the time we just give each other a hard time."
The stress of a deployment can be daunting, but the Davenport brothers can rely on each other for support.
Being a Marine anywhere can be stressful, said Cpl. Justin Davenport, an administrative clerk with 1st MAW. Having his older brother, Jacob, a petty officer 2nd class and corpsman with Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st MAW, helps.
"A lot of guys who deploy or get stationed overseas get homesick because they miss their families," Justin said. "I brought a piece of my family with me."
"This has been an experience we can share and talk about for the rest of our lives," Jacob said. "We ended up helping out at an orphanage halfway across the world together. Who else gets to share something like that with their brother?"
When the exercise ended, the Davenport and Trudgeon brothers returned together to Okinawa, and the Knowlton brothers parted ways and headed back to their commands. One thing keeps them all bound beyond blood though; they are serving in the U.S. armed forces.
Ellie