CAMP TAJI, Iraq - The U.S. Army has hundreds of thousands of Soldiers in its employ, which makes the story of Sgt. 1st Class Tina D. Hudson and Sgt. 1st Class Sonya D. Jones a lucky roll of the dice.
Both Hudson and Jones attended Asheville High School, in Asheville, N.C., and both played basketball, and are now roommates while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 10th Special Troops Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade.
The roommates said they do not remember seeing each other in their adolescence, but their family members know each other.
"My oldest sister, Vanessa, is friends with Sonya's mom and dad," said Hudson.
They did not know each other prior to the deployment, only after becoming roommates.
"I got to the unit in December 2007," said Jones. "She got there in March 2008. I didn't really know Tina then. We didn't work together and never really saw each other."
Hudson overheard Jones talking with someone about her leave plans and heard Jones mention her hometown.
"I heard her mention Asheville, so I asked her if that was where she was from," said Hudson.
After further discussion, the details of their families' relationships came to light, along with their shared academic background.
Jones joked about the one-year difference in their graduation dates.
"(Sonya)'s old," said Jones. "She graduated before me."
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