Sister service siblings serve side-by-side

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Buffy Galbraith
  • Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFPN) --  They grew up with stories about his heroism and bravery as a 19-year-old Soldier. They knew of his sacrifice to leave his new bride and his dedication to serve his nation. They were told he suffered a great loss and was never the same after he watched his best friend die on D-Day. They admired his patriotism, and wanted to be just like him.

For one Airman and one Army Ranger, their grandfather was their greatest influence.

When Senior Airman Mary Bullock, an 11th Intelligence Squadron imagery analyst, decided to join the military, she knew she had big shoes to fill; not only her grandfather's, but her younger brother's, who joined the Army two years prior. From a close-knit family of six, the Bullock children were raised to look out for one another and respect family history.

Army Sgt. William Bullock III, who goes by Trey, was the first to follow in his grandfather's footsteps, and the most likely, said Airman Bullock, his to older sister.

"We were always told about our grandfather and what he did for our country," the 23-year-old Airman said. "Our parents taught us well, and Trey always wanted to be like our grandfather. He was also a spitting image of our grandfather, and though he was a typical teenager, he was determined to be like him. After he finished boot camp and then Ranger school, he was different."

The Airman was inspired by the way her only brother stood taller, seemed stronger and acted more mature.

As a Ranger attached to the 75th Ranger Regiment, Sergeant Bullock had to meet tough physical, mental and moral criteria. Each Ranger is a four-time volunteer -- for the Army, Airborne school, the Ranger Regiment and Ranger school, according to the Army Special Operations Command Web site.

"He was proud and he wasn't afraid," she said. "There was an inner strength that just exuded from him and it was infectious. We were so proud of him and what he accomplished. I was inspired and wanted to join up right away."

Airman Bullock ultimately decided that the Air Force was a perfect fit for her and soon found out she would be a part of Air Force Special Operations Command. The first Airman assigned to the newly formed 11th IS from technical school, she learned quickly that she would be providing analysis for units that rely on unmanned aerial vehicles like the MQ-1 Predator.

As an analyst, she conducts full-motion video and all-source analysis for Special Operations Command and its components, monitors targets for activity and personnel of interest and creates intelligence products tailored for specific special operations forces missions.

Though relatively new to the Air Force, looking out for her brother was a job Airman Bullock's been doing for 22 years. Realizing her duties as an imagery analyst would allow her to continue to look out for her younger brother added a personal element to her commitment to serve.

Recently, the Bullocks realized they were working closer than ever. Airman Bullock had provided lifesaving intelligence to her brother and his patrol while his unit was deployed, though she didn't know it at the time. Though Sergeant Bullock suffered injuries and was later awarded the Purple Heart, the intelligence supplied from his sister and her unit provided information that prevented further injuries and loss of life. Sergeant Bullock credited his sister's life-long watchful eye with the success of the mission and the reason he's alive.

"She's never stopped watching over me," Sergeant Bullock said. "When I was first born, I was very sick and had to be in an incubator in the neonatal intensive care unit. When our mom walked into the ward, she just stood there in disbelief of what she saw."

What the Bullock matriarch saw was a photo of her own daughter hanging above her baby boy's incubator. She didn't put it there, but there it was, nonetheless. The staff at the hospital near the Bullock's hometown of Mathews, Va., said the image was chosen for no particular reason, other than the fact that it was a picture of a beautiful baby with pleasant features that might calm the sick patients in their ward.

"Our mom had no clue that my picture was up there, but I had won a beautiful baby of the year contest and they had pictures of babies all over the walls," Airman Bullock said.

"But it was there for a reason," Sergeant Bullock said. "My big sister was watching over me when I was first born, and the Air Force has ensured that she can keep doing that. We know that when the Predator is overhead, we are being watched over."

The beautiful baby of the year contest was the beginning of what could arguably be called a trend for Airman Bullock and her Air Force career. She is AFSOC's Airman of the Year, and has recently been named one of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year. Personal achievement, superior leadership, job performance and community involvement are aspects used to recognize the 12 most outstanding enlisted Airmen.

"I know that the competition for the 12 Outstanding Airmen was so intense, and the fact that my sister surpassed others who have done such great things has proven what our family already knows," Sergeant Bullock said. "Mary is special and her talents are only beginning to be realized. The Air Force is the way that she can reach her full potential, and she has only just begun."

Sergeant Bullock lauded the professionalism and skills of not just his sister, but of all the quiet professionals who work in AFSOC.

"It's comforting to know that it is AFSOC supporting our mission," he said. "They continue to give us the capabilities to do our jobs safely and effectively."

The Bullock siblings said that because they work so closely together, their family's stress has been reduced because they are able to combat any negative light the media may shed on the military.

"I thank God for putting us as close together as He could, considering we chose different services," Airman Bullock said. "We are together, though physically thousands of miles apart at times, and that enables us to continue to encourage each other and put the minds of our family at ease."

Sergeant Bullock agreed, saying that he also takes comfort in the job that his sister performs that keeps him and his unit out of harm's way.

"I trust in God, and I trust Mary with my life because she's never stopped watching over me," he said.

The Bullocks said they think today's military is a different environment than when their grandfather served during World War II, but the one thing that hasn't changed is the trust servicemembers put in one another and esprit de corps that accompanies the commitment to serve. They often give each other friendly banter about their respective service choices, but they say it's only in fun and the bottom line is the great sense of respect they have for the other's abilities.

"I realize that our Soldiers, sailors, Airmen and Marines are safe because of the capabilities of our great military and the incredible organization and planning that goes into each and every mission," she said.

As servicemembers, the siblings agreed that there is no comparison to what their grandfather experienced during the 1940s and their experiences in today's military.

"We have an even greater respect for what our grandfather sacrificed, and it makes his legacy that much more important," Sergeant Bullock said. "The impact of his actions is why America is what it is today, and we truly understand that his past service allows us to serve today."

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