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COMBAT OUTPOST McCLAIN, Afghanistan (9/14/2012) — U.S. Army Spc.
Ethan Wilson made the decision to join the Army when he was 14 years
old. Five years ago, he was a sophomore in high school and his
brother Thomas was deployed to Afghanistan with the 173rd Airborne
Brigade Combat Team. Today, Wilson finds himself at Combat Outpost
McClain in Afghanistan's Logar Province, a world away from the small
town of Maurertown, Va., where he grew up and only miles from the
place where his brother last stood.
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September 10, 2012- U.S. Army Spc.
Ethan Wilson is a 19-year-old native of Maurertown, Va., who is
serving in eastern Afghanistan with 3rd Platoon, B Company, 1st
Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
Wilson enlisted as a Cavalry Scout in 2010 and is on his first
deployment with the 173rd to Afghanistan. The loss of his brother
was the catalyst for his Army service and as soon as he graduated
high school he followed his brother and joined the Army. Photo by
Army Sgt. Michael Sword
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“My brother was killed in action in 2007 in Paktika with the 1st
of the 503rd,” said Wilson.
The loss of his brother was the
catalyst for Wilsons's Army service, and as soon as he graduated
high school he followed his brother and joined the Army. After
losing one son to the war in Afghanistan, his parents were hesitant
about his decision at first.
“I told them I wanted to join,
and at first they were skeptical about it,” he said. “Once I went
off to basic and came back they were all really supportive and proud
of me.”
While he was in basic combat training, Wilson
did everything he could to make sure he got to airborne school.
Still following the path of his brother, he made it through his
training and graduated airborne school. In a stroke of luck or
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fate, found himself on a plane to Germany to 1st Squadron, 91st
Cavalry Regiment, 173rd ABCT, the same brigade that Thomas served with years ago. While he didn't enlist as an infantryman,
he did find his way to the front of the fight as a cavalry scout.
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“I knew I wanted to go combat arms. When it came down to
it, cav scout just sounded cooler,” he said. “Finding out I
was going to Germany to be in the same unit was pretty
sweet.”
Knowing exactly what he signed up for,
Wilson knew he would eventually be headed for war. Now
deployed, he patrols the dusty roads of Afghanistan's Logar Province as a team leader
in 3rd Platoon. Around his wrist, a metal bracelet baring
his brother's name carries the memory of Thomas wherever the
younger Wilson goes.
“The bracelet I wear every day
is definitely my motivation,” he said.
As his
original enlistment comes to a close, following in his
brother's footsteps and the support of his family has led
him somewhere he really wants to be.
“My whole family
has been really supportive along the way, so that's
definitely helped,” he said.
“I'm definitely
planning on re-enlisting,” he said. “I love what I do. I
enjoy every day of it, so I might as well keep doing what I
enjoy.”
By Army Sgt. Michael Sword
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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