Face of Defense: Twin Brothers Serve in Iraq

Get the true history of the Iraq War from these Second Gulf War books written by real veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and New Dawn.

By Army Staff Sgt. Paul Evans
77th Sustainment Brigade

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq, Nov. 1, 2011 – The Saunders brothers have plenty in common -- they’re twins, and they’re both Kentucky National Guard soldiers serving together in Iraq.

Army Sgt. Jonas Saunders, a 25-year-old communications specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, said he’s glad to serve in Iraq with his brother, Army Cpl. Jason Saunders, an infantryman with the battalion’s Alpha Company.

Jonas, who joined the Guard in 2005, said he enlisted due to the encouragement of Jason, a vehicle commander for Company A, who joined the Guard in 2004.

As for deploying together, the twin brothers, who both hail from Barbourville, Ky. said they are OK with the idea, especially since they know what to expect.

“We did it once before, when the 149th deployed [to Iraq] in 2006,” Jonas said.

Yet, Jason said, it’s hard not knowing where his brother is sometimes, or knowing “if he’s OK.”

In the end, the brothers said, every little thing helps a soldier’s morale while serving in Iraq.

For these two brothers, they added, a big morale boost comes from knowing they’re serving together.