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Soto brothers endure Balad together
Posted 11/9/2005
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by Staff Sgt. Tammie Moore
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
11/9/2005 - BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- Deployments often mean working long hours thousands of miles away from family and friends. But for two Airmen here, that is not the case.
The Soto brothers are both deployed to the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron.
Tech. Sgt. Orlando Soto and Senior Airman Saul Soto deployed from the 156th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Muniz Air National Guard Station, Puerto Rico.
The two are continuing a family tradition started by their father, who served in the Army for 25 years.
"My father inspired me to join the service," Sergeant Soto said. "I grew up traveling around other bases. It was the life we knew, and I enjoyed it."
A supply manager, the sergeant’s job is to provide maintainers the parts they need to keep their aircraft flying.
“We also take care of the ground troops: providing them with the tools to accomplish the mission," he said.
The career path Sergeant Soto chose influenced his younger brother to join the Air Force 10 years later.
"My brother is really the one who got me into this," said Airman Soto, a supply technician who has served his entire career with his older brother. "He told me it was a good job. I look up to him because he is really sharp. So I took his advice."
Sergeant Soto said he always talked to his younger brother about how joining the Armed Forces would help him to mature.
“It is an honor that my actions inspired him to join the Air Force," he said.
This is the brother’s second deployment together.
"The times I deployed without my brother, I have been alone -- which was kind of tough," Sergeant Soto said. "I knew coming here that I would have him here, so it would not be that bad.”
Airman Soto shares his brother's feelings about being deployed to Balad.
"I'm really happy my brother is here with me because he means a lot in my life. He is my mentor," the Airman said.
The bothers confess that their joint deployment made some of their family members in Puerto Rico a little nervous. In particular, their mother was worried about her sons going to Iraq at the same time.
"She told me to take care of the 'little one.' But really we are taking care of each other," Sergeant Soto said.
Though assigned to the same squadron, the brothers work at different locations on the base. But this does not hinder their ability to spend time together.
"We don't see each other at work much, but outside of work we see each other all the time," Sergeant Soto said.
Airmen Soto said they have the same duty hours and same day off. So when not working, they are together.
“Every day we do something,” the Airman said. “We might go to the gym, exchange or just hang out. I play for our basketball team and my brother will come to watch the games."
Having one another is important to the brothers because they come from a close family.
"As a family we are very close. Having my brother here with me has been very good, because we have given each other support throughout the deployment," Sergeant Soto said.
The younger Soto agrees.
"Having my brother here means I have somebody here I trust, speaks my language and help in everything," Airman Soto said. "Even though we miss our family, we still have each other."
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