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Twin brothers compete for rank as they serve, deploy to Iraq together

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Hehnly
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
IRAQ -- Throughout the history of the military it has remained common for generations of men and women to follow in their family members’ footsteps and serve their country proudly. It’s also not unheard of for siblings to join together and serve together.

For Master Sgts. Daniel and Scott Hose they did both these things attending U.S. Air Force basic training together in 2001. After basic the two went to separate duty assignments, each following their own career path and moving up in rank. Spending 17 years on active-duty, their paths rarely crossed, that is until recently. 

When Daniel Hose received orders to Iraq, he thought it would be similar to his five other deployments, but shortly after being in country, his twin brother, Scott, notified him that he was deploying as well. Much to the brothers’ surprise, they were not only both being deployed to Iraq, in support of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve mission, but they would also be assigned to the same group, the 370th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group.

“It’s pretty cool considering the last time we were together was seven years ago when we were both stationed in Italy, he says it was before he deployed, but I think it was before I deployed,” said Scott, who is on his fifth deployment. “We both PCS’d from there, you know life happens, and we tried a couple of times to meet up but something always comes up. It was funny when he found out that he was coming over here I didn’t have the tasking yet, mine fell pretty short notice and he was already over here.”

The Hose family is no stranger to military service or deployments. Their grandfather and father both served in the Air Force, which is what put them on their path to enlist. 

When Daniel and Scott Hose left for basic training, their father was deployed as an egress ejection seat technician.
“I don’t think my mom was too thrilled about us leaving at the same time, but I think my dad liked it and was happy with the decision we made,” said Scott.

The twin Hose brothers left for basic training on March 7, 2001 along with another friend from high school. They all went together and were in the same training flight.

“We actually slept in beds next to one another,” said Daniel. “That kind of helped out through the six weeks going through basic. A lot of people don’t know anybody. I was lucky enough to have my brother next to me.”

Daniel states that Scott was good at polishing boots and he was good at folding shirts so they each brought skills to the table. Scott remembers it slightly differently. 

“Going to basic together made it a bit easier. It helped because he helped fold my clothes,” said Scott with a smile. “I really wasn’t good at shining boots. I’d say he had more value back then.”

After basic the two went their separate ways but they’ve always maintained a close relationship. Daniel says their differences growing up led them to be competitive in making rank within the military. 

Daniel made senior airman and staff sergeant before his brother, but Scott beat him to technical sergeant. 

“It’s pretty cool, we joined on the same day and then made master sergeant on the same time frame; I don’t think too many people can say that,” said Daniel. “He might not see it as a competition but it’s a competition. It’ll be interesting to see who gets senior first. I just want to see how far both of us can go in our careers. It’d be cool just to make the next one just to say we did it like our dad did, maybe in a shorter amount of time.”

Scott and Daniel’s father retired as a senior master sergeant with 28 years of service to the Air Force. 

“Danny makes that more of a competition than I do,” said Scott. “He’s more competitive than I am. I’ll play this diplomatically, I don’t look at it as a race, but I’m pretty confident.”

Daniel said if he makes senior before Scott that he would have him and his father tack him on.

“I think he’d do the same thing,” said Daniel. It’s just that point in your career and it’s just one of those things not too many people can say that your dad is a retired senior and your sons are too. It would be cool. I’d definitely have him come out.”

Regardless of where their careers go after their deployments, the two are already planning to meet up and get their families together once back in the states, and this time they are not planning on waiting seven years.