Photo By Staff Sgt. V. Michelle Woods | Spc. Codie Noble (left) stands next to his father, Spc. Jeffery Noble, both truck...... read more read more
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - “I’d prefer to be with him on a deployment,” said Spc. Jeffery Noble, truck driver, 428th Transportation Company, Joint Logistics Task Force 7, 1st Sustainment Brigade, referring to his son, Spc. Codie Noble, truck driver, 428th Trans. Company, JLTF 7, 1SB.
The two Bloomfield, Iowa natives deployed together in October to southwest Asia in support of Operation New Dawn.
Codie Noble joined the Army Reserves in 2006. While he was in basic combat training, he said he received a letter from his father informing him that he had joined the Army Reserves as well.
Jeffery Noble, who previously served in the active duty Army, said his son inspired him to join again.
“Well I’d been thinking about it and he decided he wanted to do something and he joined, and I thought that would be cool so I joined and got the same unit he did,” said Jeffery Noble.
“He got out because my sister and I were really young and he got tired of missing out on everything,” said Codie Noble. “He got out and raised a family and now here we are again.”
Simultaneous deployments bring comfort to the Nobles; however, it also brings challenges back home. The father-son duo is serving on their second deployment together, having previously deployed in 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“We volunteered for the first deployment together and he worked the gun trucks and I stayed with the [heavy equipment transporters],” said Codie Noble. “This deployment, we both ended up staying in the line-haul unit. We got the same [housing] and the same [area of operation]. He sleeps right across from me.”
Deploying together as father and son has its perks for the Nobles. They agree that they work well together because they share the same work ethic and know each other well.
“He thinks a lot like me when it comes to work,” said Jeffery Noble. “He knows a lot of how I do things. When we’re together, we’re on the same page so it makes it go a lot smoother. We work well together. He’s a good soldier. He does what he’s told and a lot of times he goes above and beyond what he’s told.”
“I like it because really, no one will work like he and I do,” said Codie Noble. “If I get put in charge of something and I need someone to do it, I go to him first because I know he’s going to get it done and get it done right the first time.”
In addition to working well together, Jeffery Noble enjoys having his son so close during the year-long deployment away from home.
“I feel I have an advantage over most of the other guys,” said Jeffery Noble. “If I get homesick, I just go talk to him and it makes things a little better.”
During their dwell time, the Nobles help tend their family’s farm located in Iowa. With both soldiers deployed, the family relies on Jeffery Noble’s wife and daughter to do the backbreaking farm work, according to Codie Noble.
Jeffery Noble said that keeping the family up to date while dealing with everyday problems is also a challenge.
“You do what you can and hope for the best,” he added.
“For my mom, not only is her husband gone, but her son is too,” said Codie Noble. “It was really hard at first but she got used to it. And then she didn’t think we’d be leaving so soon and neither did we, and then, surprise, you’re gone.”
It would be natural for anyone to worry about a family member’s safety while driving the streets of Kuwait and Iraq. However, these experienced veterans have confidence in their unit and each other’s ability to do their job successfully and safely return from missions.
Codie Noble said he doesn’t worry about his father while deployed.
“He’s a man, he can take care of himself,” he added.
“Yeah I worry about him out on the road but it’s not to the point that it drives me crazy because I know if something happens out there, the rest of the guys in the unit are going to take care of everything,” said Jeffery Noble. “Everybody in our unit is like a big, happy family anyway.”
The Nobles depend on each other to successfully accomplish the mission and often seek advice from one another.
Codie Noble said he goes to his dad all the time for advice.
“Everything that I have done or think about doing, he’s already done it,” Codie Noble said. “Everything I know, he taught me so I know all his little tricks.”
“As far as the father-son situation, if he needs advice about something I’m always here for him,” said Jeffery Noble. “I don’t care what time of day it is or where he’s at or what the advice is he needs. I’ll give him advice if he needs it. I don’t ever try to waver his decisions. He’s a big boy and it’s his decision. I just say what I would do.”
Jeffery and Codie Noble say they are looking forward to getting back home to Iowa but for now they keep busy with missions, working out and playing video games.
The 428th Trans. Company, a reserve unit headquartered in Jefferson City, Mo., is scheduled to return to the U.S. next fall.
| Date Taken: | 02.03.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 02.03.2011 06:34 |
| Story ID: | 64711 |
| Location: | CAMP ARIFJAN, KW |
| Web Views: | 352 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Father and son deploy together in Support of Operation New Dawn, by SSG V. Michelle Woods, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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