Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Calvert | Sgt. Christopher Rodgers (left), a track vehicle repairer with Company D, 6th...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas – Growing up practically inseparable from her two older brothers, Sgt. Sarah McCoy never imagined she would be separated for long from her siblings.
Now a trooper in the Air Cav., she’s found herself reunited at Fort Hood, Texas, with those she loves the most after more than a decade of separation.
“I never thought I’d be here, especially donning the same uniform as my brothers,” she said. “Now, we’re reunited after all this time, and it’s the greatest feeling.”
McCoy, an information technology specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, grew up in Lewisville, Texas, alongside her two brothers, Christopher and Jason Rodgers.
While growing up, the three siblings were practically joined at the hips, she said.
“You could always find us riding dirt bikes and having a blast,” she recalled. “Chris and Jason played soccer together throughout middle and high school, and I was always on the tennis team at the same school. We were always a tight-knit family.”
Upon graduation, McCoy’s oldest brother, Jason, decided to follow in their uncle, grandfather and great grandfather’s steps by enlisting in the military in 2004.
“I initially didn’t want to join the military, as I never wanted to be separated from my family,” said Sgt. Jason Rodgers, a wheeled vehicle mechanic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 85th Civil Affairs Brigade. “It was a tough choice that impacted us all, but I decided I wanted the structure and way of life that the military could provide.”
A year later, Christopher graduated and followed his older brother’s path into the Army.
“I saw what Jason had done, and how it benefited his life,” said Sgt. Christopher Rodgers, a track vehicle repairer with Company D, 6th Squadron, 9th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cav. Div. “I wanted the same for myself. I needed a lifestyle change – a direction.”
While originally not planning on joining the military, it was while attending Christopher’s graduation from initial entry training that McCoy had a change of heart, she said.
A change that, ultimately, led her to follow the same path as her brothers before her.
“I went to Chris’ graduation and I liked what I saw; I liked the discipline,” she said. “The next thing I know, I was talking to a recruiter, and my junior year of high school I signed up for delayed entry.”
After being stationed at several duty stations around the world, Chris and Jason found themselves together at Fort Hood in 2009; however, McCoy just missed the opportunity to accompany them as her unit, the 4th Infantry Division, was moved to Fort Carson, Colorado, the same year.
It was during this time that tragedy struck the family.
“I was diagnosed with the rare blood disease paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH),” said Jason. “The doctors told me I had five to 15 years to live. It was a tough time for us all.”
While Jason was undergoing chemotherapy, Chris was there by his side, although just a month away from deploying to Egypt.
Doctors soon found through blood tests the cure Jason needed was standing right in front of them, Jason explained.
“Doctors found that Chris’ bone marrow stem cells were the perfect match to be donated to me,” Jason said. “The bone marrow stem cell transplant the doctors performed ended up being accepted by my body. It worked out perfectly – my brother saved my life.”
Chris said that although the donation procedure was painful, it was something he had no second thoughts about.
“Donating bone marrow felt like getting hit by a freight train for a week straight,” Chris said. “I would do it again every day, all day, just for the slightest chance to save my brother. I’m glad that I could be there for him, as he’s always been there for me.”
Shortly after receiving the great news, McCoy had the opportunity to change duty stations and elected to serve at Fort Hood, and finally reunited with her brothers after a decade of separation.
“I re-enlisted to come back and join my brothers,” she said. “It’s been so long since we’ve all been together. It was such a great feeling to see each other alive and healthy.”
“Now that we’re together again, we have that family support. Our kids will now have a much easier time when one of us deploys, because they have another aunt or uncle to cover down and take care of them.”
McCoy said her parents are overjoyed to have the opportunity to see them all together, just in time for the holiday season.
“Our parents love that we’re so close and tell us all the time they’re so proud of us,” McCoy said. “They always wanted us to better ourselves, and have been supportive the whole time we’ve been in the military. My mom said, looking at us now, she feels she must have did something right, and she can’t wait to see us all come down for Christmas together.”
| Date Taken: | 11.14.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2014 11:14 |
| Story ID: | 147865 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Hometown: | LEWISVILLE, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 195 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Soldiers reunite at Great Place after 10 years of separation, by SSG Christopher Calvert, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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