Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Brandon Fryman | 200318-N-EJ940-1041 ARABIAN SEA (March 18, 2020) Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Alechia...... read more read more
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Inseparable since birth, twins Alecia and Alexis Brothers did everything together. Between playing soccer, earning their master’s degrees and eventually joining the Navy, the sisters remained united until they were stationed in different parts of the U.S.
In addition to sharing the same genes, Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Alecia Judge Brothers and Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Alexis Judge Brothers now share the same area of responsibility for the first time in months.
The aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) crossed paths in the Arabian Sea and so did the Brothers sisters. Recognizing there was an opportunity to reunite family members stationed aboard the respective ships, a plan was set into motion. A select number of Ike Sailors were flown onto Truman to see their family members and amongst them was Alecia. Having last seen each other in June of 2019, the long-awaited reunion between the sisters finally took place.
“Being in two different strike groups is hard but seeing her has left me with no words,” said Alecia. “She’s my twin and I want to see her every chance I get.”
Growing up, the sisters were barely apart. Constantly switching places in the presence of their teachers, parents and friends, their bond was not like that of most siblings. When college rolled around, the sisters earned soccer scholarships to respective colleges. With a drive of three hours separating them, the sisters were truly apart for the first time in their lives.
“We were very close growing up,” said Alexis. “There wasn’t much we didn’t do together. We did go to separate colleges, but we still made time to see each other despite the three-hour distance.”
After college graduation, Alecia joined the Navy in November of 2011. Alexis followed suit in March of 2012. The sisters were separated yet again when Alecia was stationed in Washington state and Alexis in Florida. The sisters remained apart for three years during which they maintained contact through video chat and phone calls.
“We’d always video chat with each other and try to make it work from different time zones,” said Alecia. “We only physically saw each other once a year. All I kept thinking was ‘how am I going to get to her?’”
Little did either of them know that in addition to co-locating married couples, the Navy also makes such accommodations for siblings. Upon making this discovery, the paperwork was filed and in 2016, Alecia was stationed down the road from Alexis in Florida.
“When I moved to Florida, we immediately moved in together,” said Alecia. “I got to see her every day either when I got home or in passing.”
The happy period in which they were finally reunited within the Navy came to a halting screech when Alecia got orders to the Ike. Having to make the move north to Norfolk, Virginia, Alecia would be obligated to leave Alexis behind in Florida. Not having seen each other since Alecia’s big move, the reunion at sea between the sisters’ two carriers made it just a little easier to be out at sea said Alexis.
“My palms were sweating as I thought about seeing her once I got off the helicopter,” said Alecia. “I was really nervous because I hadn’t seen her in so long. They had us wait in the captain’s in-port cabin and I teared up a little as I watched husbands reunite with their wives while I waited for Alexis. I was escorted to her berthing where I found her in her rack and told her to get up and give me a hug. I’m glad she didn’t meet me up there because I would’ve burst into tears.
The reunion at sea not only gave the twins an opportunity to see each other but to also plan their second move-in together. With hard orders to Norfolk, Virginia, Alexis will be joining Alecia as soon as her deployment with Truman is over.
“We talked about the next step once I move to Virginia,” said Alexis. “I’m hoping to be on the pier waiting for [Alecia] when she gets back home.”
| Date Taken: | 03.31.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.11.2020 02:40 |
| Story ID: | 369670 |
| Location: | ARABIAN SEA |
| Web Views: | 124 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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