KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Leaving their families behind is one of the hardest things for service members to endure during a deployment. Sgt. Joel Morgan, a team leader for Provincial Reconstruction Team Khost security forces, Mass. National Guard, from Boston was looking forward to his deployment to Afghanistan.
His twin brother, Sgt. Jonathan Morgan, Apache troop 1-33 Calvary 3rd Brigade 101st Airborne Division, is also serving in Afghanistan. He has been deployed here since February. They have kept in close contact while Joel trained for his deployment at Camp Atterbury, Ind.
Being deployed to Afghanistan at the same time as another family member is coincidental, but the Morgan brothers are deployed to the same province. Jonathan, who arrived first, kept his brother Joel updated on Khost Province and what to expect once he entered in country.
The brothers finally crossed paths on Nov. 8.
“If I didn’t see my brother before he left, I would have been heartbroken” said Joel.
Jonathan had a doctor’s appointment at Forward Operating Base Salerno, a short convoy ride from where Joel was deployed at Forward Operating Base Chapman.
The brothers met there and spent the day catching up. Jonathan shared his experiences and reminded Joel to “never get complacent.”
Jonathan said being able to see his brother made this “the best day of my deployment.” Throughout Joel’s training, they communicated a few times a week.
But this was not the first time they saw each other while being deployed.
As fate would have it, they were able to see each other while deployed in Iraq as well.
“Even though that was only a couple of hours at the Baghdad airport, it was well worth it,” said Joel.
Jonathan’s deployment ends in February 2011, and Joel will be in Afghanistan until July.
Other members of PRT Khost also are serving at the same time with family in Afghanistan, although not in the same province.
Lt. Mark Fetterman, a PRT Khost Engineer from Plymouth, Mass., is also serving simultaneously in Afghanistan with his twin brother, Matthew, who is an engineer on PRT Farah.
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