Family ties: Serving together in Kandahar Published March 9, 2010 By Tech. Sgt. Renni Thornton 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan -- Reenlisting while deployed has its benefits, but reenlisting while deployed and having your brother reenlist you? Pretty awesome, according to Staff Sgt. Marc Duncan, a tactical aircraft mechanic for the MQ-1 Predator, assigned to the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron here. For Sergeant Duncan, this deployment has been extra sweet so far--he got to visit with his brother, U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Jon Duncan, who is also serving a one-year tour in Afghanistan as a platoon leader with the 5/2 Stryker Brigade, 8-1st Cavalry, Forward Operation Base Ramrod in Kandahar Province, approximately 80 miles west of Kandahar City. Lieutenant Duncan has been in country since August 2009. Sergeant Duncan arrived here in December 2009. Despite how things turned out, Sergeant Duncan said he had not planned to have his brother reenlist him. "Well, I knew before I arrived here that I was going to reenlist during my deployment," he said. "I knew my brother would be in country, but it wasn't part of a plan to have him do it. I just thought I would ask one of the officers in my unit to do it when the time came." The two kept in touch via social networking and email and then one day in January, Lieutenant Duncan showed up at the 62nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron looking for his younger brother. "I knew where to find him on KAF because we had been emailing each other," said Lieutenant Duncan. During that visit, Sergeant Duncan asked his brother to reenlist him. Lieutenant Duncan talked to his commanding officer who agreed and through a series of emails, the event was tentatively planned. "I was excited that he asked me to do it but I needed to get my CO's approval," said Lieutenant Duncan. "I went back, talked to him and he said it was OK. The only thing was figuring out when I was going to get an opportunity to get back to KAF." Deployments are routine for the Duncans--both parents are retired Army officers. Their mom, Jennifer, is a retired lieutenant colonel and dad, Joseph, is a retired major. Major Duncan was an Airborne Ranger and Colonel Duncan was airborne as well. As for the two brothers, this is Sergeant Duncan's second deployment here, his first was December 2008 through April 2009 and it's Lieutenant Duncan's first. Sergeant Duncan is considered the rebel in the family. "Yeah, he chose the Air Force. Everyone else in our family is Army. It's OK, " the lieutenant said. But their mom is not so forgiving. "He's a traitor-- but I still love him," said Colonel Duncan, by phone. Both parents spoke proudly of their children from their Chehalis, Wash., home. "We were hoping they would get to do it (reenlistment). I'm really proud of both my sons," their dad said. "I think it's great. I'm glad they were able to," the colonel said. This event is a series of firsts for the two active-duty men. Sergeant Duncan is the first enlisted person to salute his brother when he got commissioned in 2008, and this is the lieutenant's first deployment and first reenlistment. On top of everything, Sergeant Duncan gets a hefty selective reenlistment bonus--tax free for committing to another five years of service. He said he plans to use some of the money toward items for the home he just bought outside Creech Air Force Base, Nev.