News

Brothers share multiple deployments

  • Published
  • By Spc. Travis Terreo
  • Air Forces Central Command Public Affair
AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar --  After spending their entire childhood together, some siblings go their separate ways as adults and keep in touch from a safe distance. For the De La Pena brothers, though, that is not the case.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Christopher De La Pena, Air Forces Central Command Lessons Learned deputy director, and Army Reserve Sgt. Nicholas De La Pena, a public affairs broadcast journalist with AFCENT Public Affairs, are currently deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, together for the second time.

"Chris has been in longer than I have, and deployed more," said Nicholas, "but we were mobilized at the same time for both of my deployments."

Christopher has served in the Air Force for more than ten years and deployed three times. For two of those deployments, Nicholas was deployed as well, but that was not the first time Christopher was deployed with family.

"During my first deployment Nicholas was still in college and had not joined the Army yet," explained Christopher. "I wasn't alone though. My cousin had recently gotten out of the Air Force and was actually working as a contractor at the same base as me."

For most Service members, the experience of deploying with a family member never happens. The De La Pena's deployment experiences are a rare occurrence. Still, their concurrent deployments did not mean they were always able to see each other.

"During my first deployment, our schedules never linked up," said Nicholas. "It was almost a comedy of errors. We were going in and out of many of the same places and barely missing each other every time."

They were able to keep in touch throughout that deployment though, said Nicholas. With advancement in the cellular tower networks and Wi-Fi across Southwest Asia, it was easy. Especially since Nicholas's job requires internet access.

"Whether we are deployed or at home, we are each other's support network," said Christopher. "We rely on each other and will always find a way to keep in touch."

That support network extends beyond just the brothers though, Christopher explained. During his second deployment, his wife, held down the home front. "She took care of the house and bills, and also watched my three dogs, plus Nick's two. She is amazing and we have come to rely on her, too."

In a strange twist of fate, the brothers are able to see each other more often during their current deployment than they do when at home.

"We see each other as much as possible back home, but it's hard because we live on opposite ends of the country," said Nicholas. "For this deployment we are both at Al Udeid Air Base. It's great being here together because we see each other at least once per week."

Air Force personnel deploy as individuals, as opposed to the Army which generally deploys entire units, explained Christopher. This means that deploying members of the Air Force don't necessarily know anyone they are deploying with.

"Having your brother there makes deployments much easier," said Christopher. "At least I know I will have one familiar face."

For Nicholas, deploying with his brother has another positive side effect as well.

"He is my older brother, my mentor," said Nicholas. "I look up to him and can go to him for advice. It is amazing to have him right here when I need him."

As an Army non-commissioned officer, Nicholas is expected to be a leader and mentor to lower enlisted soldiers. When he has questions about leadership or mentorship, he often takes them to his older brother.

"My experiences and time in service have given me a lot of opportunities to learn some of the lessons he is now learning," said Christopher. "If I can help him have an easier time learning them than I did, I will. It is a great feeling knowing that I am helping advance his career in some small way."

Besides the support and bonding time these experiences have allowed, the brothers have enjoyed simply telling others that their brother is here, too.

"The first time we deployed together, I would tell people my brother was also in country and they just couldn't believe it," said Christopher. "Now I tell them that he is right down the road and they lose their minds."

Both De La Pena brothers have enjoyed their deployments together and treated them as shared bonding and learning experiences. They recognize the rarity of their experiences and cherish them, knowing it might not always be that way.

"This has been a pretty amazing experience," said Nicholas. "It's been comforting, on these deployments, to know he is here too and be able to rely on someone who is so crucial in my life."