The three Brown brothers of 230th Brigade Support Battalion,
30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team are looking after each other
while serving on their second tour to Iraq. From left, Sgt.
David Brown of Glenville, W. Va.; Spc. Poleman Brown of
Buckhannon, W.Va., and Sgt. Jeremy Brown, also of Glenville have
already decided that they will deploy again if one of them gets
called for service in the future. They are all stationed at Camp
Stryker here and are trained as heavy-wheeled vehicle operators.
Story by Spc. Ruth McClary
Story and photos courtesy of www.dvidshub.net
BAGHDAD - When Sgt. Jeremy Brown of Glenville, W. Va., was involuntarily recalled to deploy to Iraq this year, it quickly became a family affair.
Both his brothers, Sgt. David Brown also of Glenville and Spc. Poleman Brown of Buckhannon, W. Va., volunteered to deploy, too.
This is the second "group" Iraq deployment for the three brothers, who are assigned to Company D, 230th Brigade Support Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team.
"We don't get lonely or homesick quite as much when we deploy together," said Jeremy, the oldest of the three.
They are the sons of David and Judith Brown of Glenville. They have two sisters, Amy of New York State and Bernadette of Pennsylvania.
"Mom has gotten used to it but I don't think she likes it very much," said Jeremy. "Dad is proud of us. He would like for one or two of us to go, but not all three at one time."
Spc. Poleman Brown, of 230th Brigade Support Battalion,
30th Heavy Brigade Support Battalion, sits in one of the
heavy-wheeled vehicles he drives while deployed in Iraq,
July 18. He is the middle child of three siblings serving
their second tour together in Iraq. He and his brothers, David
and Jeremy, are stationed at Camp Stryker and live in the same housing pad. The three brothers say they have already decided they will deploy again if one of them gets called for service in the future.
Sgt. David Brown of the 230th Brigade Support Battalion,
30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team checks the bolts on the back
tires of a trailer used to haul disabled vehicles in Iraq,
July 18. He is the youngest of three brothers serving on their
second tour together in Iraq. He repairs the heavy-wheeled
vehicles that his brothers David and Jeremy usually drive
during this tour. "The greasier, the dirtier, the better,"
said Brown, about his job at Camp Stryker. The native of
Glenville, W. Va., is serving his third overseas deployment.
In 2005, the three volunteered for a tour in Iraq with the West Virginia Army National Guard's 1257th Transportation Company of Huntington, W. Va. They were split into different platoons, but visited each other regularly.
This time they live and work closer to each other.
Jeremy and Poleman, the middle son, work together in the supply section and David, the youngest, repairs vehicles at Camp Stryker, near Baghdad.
"We are the distribution platoon; we supply everything except ammunition and fuel," said Jeremy. "As the supply sergeant I am Poleman's boss; I actually expect more out of him because he is my brother."
While the three have jobs on the camp, they also do missions off the base.
"It's not as dangerous as people think because they [leadership] separate us when we go on missions," said Jeremy.
"Going on a mission is an adrenaline rush," said Jeremy. "It's why we are here and what we get paid to do."
This is Jeremy's fourth overseas tour, David's third, and Poleman's second. All three brothers plan to remain in the military until they retire. David needs at least 10 more years of service, Jeremy needs 12, and Poleman needs 14.
"Little brother outranks them both and will retire first," said David about himself.
All agreed that if, in the future, one of the three was called to deploy again, the other two would be there with him.
"I tend to watch over the other two because I should; after all I am the oldest," said Jeremy. "At the same time I know if I need them they will be there, no questions asked."
Sgt. Jeremy Brown, a supply sergeant with 230th Brigade
Support Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, sits
in one of the heavy-wheeled vehicles he drives while
deployed in Iraq, July 18. This is his second Iraq deployment
with his two brothers, Poleman and David Brown. The three
brothers say they have already decided they will deploy again
if one of them gets called for service in the future.
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