Brothers serve together on Casey

By Pvt. Jamal WalkerJanuary 27, 2010

Brothers serve together on Casey
(From left to right) Sgt. Horace Alan Ross, E Company 302nd Non Commissioned Officer in Charge of fuel and supply, and Sgt. 1st Class Lorenza Ross, C Company 302nd Brigade Support Battalion treatment platoon sergeant, take time out of their schedules... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

CASEY GARRISON South Korea - Sgt. 1st Class Lorenza Ross, C Company 302nd Brigade Support Battalion treatment platoon sergeant, and Sgt. Horace Alan Ross, E Company 302nd Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of fuel and supply, are so close to each other many people do not realize they are related, but assume they are good friends.

However, for the past four months the Ross brothers have been stationed together on USAG-Casey, in which, they describe their relationship being closer than ever before.

Alan, as he is called by his family, arrived in Korea in February 2009 and received a call from Lorenza in the summertime, when Lorenza explained to his older brother, he received orders from his recruiting assignment in Tulsa, Okla. sending him to Korea in October.

"When Lorenza said he was going to Korea I said 'wow this is crazy,' but what made me excited was he was going to be stationed at Casey; I just couldn't believe it," Alan said.

This is the first time in 27 years the Ross brothers have been stationed together, marking their deployment time spent together in 1990-91 in Iraq during Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

Years later Alan still remembers the important role Lorenza played in his career when they deployed from Fort Bragg, N.C.

"I went to Iraq first and then Lorenza arrived a little later. During the deployment Lorenza was always there so we could talk to each other and make sure we were OK."

"Sometimes he would uplift me, and to me that was the most important time during the deployment," Alan said.

"Lorenza then left Iraq before I did but still continued calling me and saying, 'hey man, don't worry, you will be out soon and we will be on the basketball court playing ball together."

"We were both young. Horace had his family at the time, and I was always trying to be positive because I wanted all of us to come back home," Lorenza said.

"Our family was going through a rough time with all of us being away, and I wanted to encourage Alan and stay focused."

After Desert Storm and Desert Shield, Lorenza left his job in communications and the Army in 1992 to pursue a degree at Western Carolina University in North Carolina while Alan continued his service as a petroleum supply specialist.

Shortly after, Lorenza came back to the Army in 1996 as a combat medic.

Alan finished his contract to spend more time with his family.

In 2008, Alan accompanied his mother and father from Tulsa on a visit to see Lorenza, a staff sergeant at the time working as a recruiter.

Despite Alan's best wishes and intentions, he felt an immense amount of pride for his younger brother and asked Lorenza to sign him up in the Army.

"Just being around him at the time made me realize, 'wow this is my younger brother,' I need to go back into the military and finish what I started," Alan said.

"I didn't join because I felt obligated, or because of the state the economy was in, it all came down to that connection my brother and I share together, and seeing him motivated me."

"I don't remember his exact words, but he told me things were supposed to be different," Lorenza said. "To hear him say those words encouraged me to believe I was doing something right when I reenlisted."

"Their relationship is very loving and both brothers have a mutual respect and share a true friendship," said Sgt. 1st Class Marilyn Rinchack, C Company 302nd Brigade Support Battalion evacuations platoon sergeant.

"You can tell the closeness of the relationship because they are motivated by each other. When Alan first got here he came to Lorenza for some advice on how to counsel each other, and you could tell they were feeding off of each other."