U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY -- Deployments are never easy. Airmen leave behind their homes, their pets, their routines and, arguably the most difficult of all, their families. The structure and comfort of daily life are replaced by long hours, unfamiliar surroundings and the weight of duty. But for some, family isn’t completely left behind. They’re standing right beside them in a matching uniform.
U.S. Air Force Senior Airmen Brandi and Mikal Newmark, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Squadron air transportation technicians, know that reality firsthand. The fraternal twins, both from the 70th Aerial Port Squadron at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, are currently serving together on their first deployment.
“It’s one thing to grow up together,” Brandi said. “But going through basic training, [technical] school and now this deployment, it’s brought us even closer. You don’t really know what someone’s lowest point looks like until you go through something like this with them.”
The Newmarks have been inseparable since childhood. Raised in a close-knit, disciplined household, they attended the same schools, shared the same friends and considered themselves “two peas in a pod.”
“We did everything together growing up,” Brandi said. “It was hard to separate us.”
That connection was only strengthened after high school, when Brandi made the first move toward military service. Inspired by her example, Mikal followed suit, and the Newmark twins joined the Air Force Reserve.
“She was the blueprint,” Mikal said. “She figured it all out first, and I just followed her lead.”
Their shared path didn’t stop at enlistment. The twins went through basic military training together. While they were in separate flights, they saw each other nearly every week, often catching up during chapel services on Sundays.
“We didn’t get many letters like everyone else,” Brandi said. “But we didn’t need them; we had each other.”
After graduating, they both headed to technical school to train as air transportation specialists. By the time they returned to the 70th APS, the Air Force had taken note of their matching last names and shared birthdate.
“People thought it was a glitch in the system,” Brandi laughed. “They’d see two ‘Newmarks’ with the same birthday and assume it had to be a mistake.”
Eventually, the twins found themselves on orders for their first deployment together.
As air transportation specialists, commonly known as “Port Dawgs,” Brandi and Mikal keep the mission moving. Their day-to-day responsibilities include loading and unloading cargo, preparing aircraft for flight and coordinating the movement of personnel and equipment in and out of the area of responsibility.
At the start of their deployment, the two even worked the same shift.
“We literally did everything together,” Brandi said. “Same shift, same job, we were side by side for almost every task.”
Eventually, their schedules split. Brandi was moved to night shift, where she found herself operating more independently with less direct supervision.
“That shift really challenged me,” she said. “You had to know what you were doing and be confident in it. There were moments when I felt like I had no experience compared to others, but I pushed through.”
For Mikal, the tempo of operations and unpredictability of the mission stood out most. From last-minute changes to passenger manifests to sudden equipment shifts, flexibility became a daily requirement.
“The missions are so chaotic,” he said. “You might be tracking multiple passengers and end up with none, or the other way around. It keeps you on your toes.”
While many Airmen rely on phone calls, letters or video chats to stay connected with loved ones back home, Brandi and Mikal have the rare advantage of being deployed with their strongest support system: each other.
“Having someone who really knows how I operate, it’s been great,” Brandi said. “If I’m upset or overwhelmed, he already knows just by looking at me. Sometimes he’ll just say, ‘let’s walk away,’ before anything even happens.”
Mikal echoed the sentiment, crediting his sister with helping him stay grounded through the mental and emotional demands of deployment.
“She’s been amazing,” Mikal said. “Family is everything to me. Loyalty, support, those are things I value most. I’ve been able to lean on her every step of the way.”
Despite being separated by different shifts and locations on base, they stay in touch texting, checking in and making time to reconnect on their off days.
“We’re always trying to find a way to hang out,” Brandi said. “Even if it’s just grabbing food together, it makes a difference.”
For both Airmen, the presence of a sibling helps them process the ups and downs of deployment life, from long hours and homesickness to the subtle pressures that come with wearing the uniform far from home.
Though they have each other on deployment, the Newmarks still felt the distance from home, especially from their parents.
“Our mom is strong, but this was hard for her,” Brandi said. “I think they’re proud of us. They may not always say it, but I know they are.”
Through the demands of deployment, the twins have made lasting memories, both personal and shared.
For Brandi, one of the most meaningful experiences was their joint promotion ceremony to Senior Airman. She requested she and her brother be recognized together, and their team rallied around them to make it happen.
“We got promoted at the same time, and it meant a lot,” Brandi said. “Our certificates don't have our home unit, they have our deployed unit. Not everyone gets to say they were promoted while deployed.”
Throughout their deployment, both Brandi and Mikal reflect on what the experience has meant and where they hope to go from here.
“This whole experience has made me stronger, more independent,” Brandi said. “But I couldn’t have done it without my brother. He’s been my rock since day one, literally, since birth.”
For Mikal, having his sister at his side gave him the stability he needed to stay focused on what matters most.
“I’m grateful we were able to go through this together,” said Mikal.
Both plan to stay in the Air Force, but their future paths may begin to diverge. Brandi hopes to commission as an officer and continue training to become a pilot. Mikal has his eyes on chaplaincy, where he hopes to combine his emotional strength and faith to support others.
“If I become a chaplain, I’ll do that until I’m buried in the grave,” Mikal said. “That’s something I could do forever.”
For now, they remain focused on finishing the mission strong and getting home safely.
“There’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” Mikal said. “We just have to finish the fight.”
Brandi and Mikal remain focused on the mission, still leaning on each other, still growing and still side by side. While their paths may eventually lead them in different directions, they’ll always share this experience and the bond that carried them through it.
“When Brandi told us they were deploying, my wife went straight to tears,” said Bryan Newmark, the twins’ father. “But when I told her they were going together, she calmed down. We couldn’t be more proud of them. They push each other, they love each other, and that’s what makes them so strong. We’re fortunate as a family to have them looking out for one another. They’re doing exactly what they were meant to do – together.”