Separated by Service, United by Oath
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Victoria Kinney, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs
| August 01, 2017
MANAMA, Bahrain - 4,440 miles. That is almost twice the distance from New York to Los Angeles, but that did not stop an older brother serving with the U.S. Army in South Korea from supporting his younger brother serving with the U.S. Navy in Bahrain.
While at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Army Maj. Leon H. Matthias Jr. administered the oath of enlistment to his brother, Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Lucian Matthias, at a reenlistment ceremony at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), in Bahrain, July 27.
Lucien works as a fleet communications technician and is responsible for afloat and expeditionary units’ communications within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. With Lucien’s skill set and coordination with his brother Leon, the brothers connected via video teleconference to conduct the reenlistment ceremony. Lucien did have some on-hand assistance from his chief in order to give Lucien the certificates, but the moment wasn’t dampened by Leon’s two-dimensional role.
“It means a lot to me for my brother to be a part of this ceremony,” said Lucien, assigned to NAVCENT in Bahrain. “He has always been someone I look up to.”
“I jumped at the chance to reenlist my brother because I believe this to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Leon, the operations officer assigned to 532nd Military Intelligence Battalion, 501st Military Intelligence Brigade in Camp Humphreys, South Korea. “I'm very proud of my brother's military service in the U.S. Navy and am glad to be a part of his career."
Leon joined the military as an infantry officer in 2004, and Lucien enlisted in 2007, both hailing from Silver Springs, Maryland. Due to their unique job classifications and different branches of service, they had never participated together in any military tradition or custom before this day.
“This will definitely be something that we will continue to tell our family years down the road,” said Lucien. “I couldn’t have asked for a better officer to reenlist with.”