DVIDS – News – Service is Family-Owned

Arifjan Camp, Kuwait – During deployment, soldiers are exposed to new environments and challenges. Soldiers have a variety of ways to combat the daily stresses and high pressures of deployment. However, the only thing that remains is the feeling that the soldiers cherish their families in their hearts.

Some Soldiers from the 1889th Regional Support Group (RSG) in Butte, Montana, have family members deploying with them in uniform.

U.S. National Guard Soldier Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jerimiah Chumley and Sergeant Major Daniel Wilmot, 1889th RSG, deployed to the Middle East in support of Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR). The two came to the deployed CJTF-OIR with their families. Jerimiah brought his twin brother, and Daniel brought his two sons. Despite being deployed with them, Jerimiah and Daniel found themselves separated from their families.

Jerimiah, a petroleum systems engineer, joined the U.S. Army Montana National Guard in 2008, along with his identical twin brother, Sergeant John Johnson. 1st Class Joshua Chumley, shower and laundry specialist. The two attended basic training and advanced individual training together, leading to sibling rivalry and shenanigans.

“You try to keep a low profile, but with two twins, the drill sergeant immediately says, [staying] We are responsible,” Jerimiah said. “We had a lot of extra competitions: who could do the most push-ups, who could do the obstacle course. We were in the same company, different platoons. So it was a lot of fun.”

Joshua recalled such competitive moments when he was training with his brother.

“I didn’t get any chills on my back or hide,” Joshua said. “We were glued to each other in every way.”

The two also used their appearance to play pranks. During an exercise to Romania, the brothers, then Sgt.

“We completely convinced them that we were being promoted and relegated every day,” Jerimiah said. “It took me three weeks to realize that we were two different people.”

The mission to the Middle East was the first time all the brothers had been sent together, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort.

“They have no problem sending us to training events together. Deployments are always a little difficult,” Jerimiah said.

The 1889th RSG found a way to allow two brothers to converse even if they could not be in the same immediate vicinity.

“We make you the mobility OIC and he becomes the mobility NCOIC,” Jerimiah recalls. “You get to talk about different things every day. That’s one of the things the command did was a way to stay in the same area so we could talk to each other every day.”

“It was such a relief that we were both here doing this mission together, even though we weren’t in the same location,” Joshua said. “It’s very nice to have that.”

Daniel also felt this feeling of wanting to be closer to his sons during his deployment. For him, serving in the same unit as his family provided a natural sense of kinship. However, this family bond brought its own challenges during a deployment to the Middle East.

Daniel, a general engineering supervisor, was placed with his two sons, Spc. Mr. Colter Willmott is an expert in chemistry, biology, radiology and nuclear power, and Spc. Daltin Willmott, Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic. Daniel has served in the U.S. National Guard for approximately 31 years, and his two sons have also served for several years.

“The benefit of working with families is that I get a chance to show them things that I experienced for the first time,” Daniel said. “It gives them an opportunity to understand why I served.”

Colter reflected on his decision to join the military and his father’s role in it.

“My father influenced my decision to join the Army. It was a pretty big influence because he encouraged me to do it after I went through some trials and things. “There was,” Colter said. “When I was a kid, there was nothing else going on in my life.”

Daniel had served on other deployments during his military career, but wanted to share his last deployment with his sons.

“We were trying to ride the same development,” Daniel said. “One of my sons got stuck in another unit. Then my other son… [ready] I said let’s go and then he left and came back again. So it was kind of tense because we all wanted to go at the same time. ”

Colter also shared his thoughts on participating in this development.

“For my brother and I, this meant a lot to this old man, because he had been in the hospital for a long time,” Colter said. “This was his last deployment, and we wanted this to be his last hurray so he could at least say his kids went with him.”

Although Daniel and his sons are on the same deployment, they were sent to different parts of the Middle East.

“I’m here in Kuwait and they’re in the north. It’s a little difficult because my fatherhood side comes into play,” Daniel said. “I’m a little worried about them, even though I know they’re well-trained and can handle whatever happens.”

Daniel thought back to what he would say to his sons when he saw them again.

“It’s just like any other time of service, we just want to see each other,” Daniel said. “We’ll probably give each other a big hug and tell them how proud I am of them.”

Despite the challenges associated with deployment, both the Wilmot and Chumley families believed that serving alongside their families was a rewarding experience.

“That’s the beauty of being a security guard,” Jerimiah said. “We’re allowed to be with our families. So I chose that.”