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Military members volunteer to serve and, odds are, they will be
separated from their siblings for long periods of time.
Unfortunately, this causes them to miss birthdays and the start and
growth of families, among other things they talked about while
growing up.
For two brothers stationed at Moody Air Force
Base, Georgia ... the odds were in their favor. Fate would have it
that while they'd fulfill their duties as Airmen, they'd get to do
it at the same place, working in specialties that support one
another.
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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Adam Palmer, 23d Operations Support
Squadron air traffic controller, left, with his younger brother
Senior Airman Philip Palmer, 71st Rescue Squadron loadmaster, March
14, 2016, at Moody Air Force Base, GA. The brothers have spent four
years at Moody and were allowed the opportunity to fulfill their
duties as Airmen, together. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Janiqua Robinson)
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“We've always had a strong bond, but this made it
stronger,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Adam Palmer, 23rd
Operations Support Squadron air traffic controller. “It's
very satisfying when you can serve your country and do it
together.”
The brothers recognize that the odds of
getting assigned to the same place as blood relatives are
slim-to-none, but are extremely grateful that the Air Force
stationed them together. Both joined because they felt they
needed better opportunities.
“We were a couple of rough and rowdy
boys headed in the wrong direction fast,” said Adam. “We
both joined to better our lives.”
Their father passed
while the brothers were on the brink of adulthood and both
acknowledged they were on the wrong path. Adam made the
decision to join the Air Force and after realizing how much
it changed his life, convinced Philip to do the same.
“I joined because he talked me into it,” said Senior
Airman Philip Palmer, 71st Rescue Squadron loadmaster. “He
said it was going to be a good time and it has, I've had a
blast. You don't hear people say this often, but I feel
lucky to be at Moody. How many brothers get stationed
together?”
Adam, the older brother who's been here
since 2010, is an air traffic controller where his mission
is to keep Moody's skies safe by communicating with pilots
and guiding air traffic.
“We talk to pilots
throughout our airspace and knowing that my brother [an
aircrew member] could be on that plane just makes [my job]
that much better,” said Adam. “It's very satisfying because
you can potentially save a lot of lives or cause a lot of
problems, but our goal is it save lives. Knowing you help
bring them back safe is very rewarding.”
Philip,
who's been here since 2012, is a loadmaster and is
responsible for properly loading, securing and escorting
cargo and passengers on Lockheed Martin HC-130J Combat King
II planes and also facilitating pre-flight, plane power up,
and in-flight refueling.
“It's a great feeling
knowing my brother could be talking to the pilot of the
plane I'm on,” said Philip. “There aren't very many words to
describe it.”
With an Air Force grandfather and
father who fought in World War II and Vietnam respectively,
the duo agrees they've had the opportunity of a lifetime.
“You grow up and often times families grow apart,” said
Philip. “Palmers are famous for it, because we just spread
out. So to be stationed [at the same place] and then have
our jobs coincide and work together is awesome. I am
incredibly proud of my brother and to have served with him.”
Adam recognizes that one of the best parts about them
being here together are the little things that are often
taken for granted.
“[Living at the same base] is
awesome because I can get off work, call my brother and he
can bring his family over so we can barbecue,” said Adam.
“In the near future, we won't have that opportunity and it
will really be bittersweet when it happens.”
While
some Airmen join to see the world and hope each base has
more to do than the last, these brothers truly believe that
it's not the base that makes the assignment good or bad,
it's the people.
“The best part of Valdosta is being
stationed with my brother,” said Philip. “The mission is
incredible, but what made it great, was my brother.”
By U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Janiqua Robinson
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
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