Photo By Kimberly Spinner | Pictured from left to right, retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Roman Meduga Jr., 2nd Lt....... read more read more
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SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – The Meduga family knows all about the challenges and opportunities that come with military service.
The Meduga brothers are following in their father’s footsteps. Capt. Julian Meduga commands Bravo Company, 2-130th Infantry in the Illinois Army National Guard, and Capt. Roman Meduga III is the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment commander of the 595th Transportation Brigade.
“I am extremely proud of my boys,” said Roman Meduga Jr., Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command logistics management specialist of 13 years. “As of today, my family has a total of over 60 years of service to the U.S. Army.”
Both brothers consider their father, who retired from the Army in 2006 and transitioned to civil service, a role model.
“I've always looked up to my dad and all of the challenges he's faced throughout his career,” said Julian Meduga. “I think the Army is the foundation for what a great father and person he is today, and I wanted to follow in those very same footsteps and be that person.”
Roman Meduga Jr. attributes his successful military career to Marion, his wife of 33 years.
“She had the hard duties of maintaining some type of normalcy during my deployments to Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. She always ensured the children stayed on track with their daily school responsibilities and maintained the whole household until my return,” said Roman Meduga.
Marion ensured her boys and daughter, Olivia, had stability throughout their childhood.
“My mom is the best. The fact that she has been with my dad since the beginning of his career says everything,” said Julian. “Looking back as an adult, I can confidently say that being a military spouse is definitely a challenge in itself. Our lives weren't drastically changed when my dad had to deploy or was gone for extended periods because my mom was there to ensure our lives kept going.”
After moving around for most of their kids’ childhoods, the Meduga family settled in O’Fallon, Illinois, where the children graduated from O’Fallon Township High School.
Roman Meduga III’s unit, the 595th, is located in Kuwait. As a subordinate brigade to SDDC, it provides surface distribution solutions to enduring and contingency theater operations across the U.S. Central Command area of operation.
“I am extremely proud to have the privilege to work with my son with 595th logistical requirements,” said Roman Meduga Jr. “Having a son in an SDDC unit really makes me value how much our Soldiers and families sacrifice on a daily basis.”
Julian Meduga commissioned from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2012 as an Infantry Second Lieutenant in the Illinois National Guard.
“My older brother, Julian, has always been a role model for me to learn from,” said Roman Meduga III. “He was first to follow after my dad, and I admire his ability to tackle both his civilian career as an Illinois corrections officer and a National Guard infantry officer.”
Both Meduga brothers admit that growing up as military children was challenging, but they say they are better for the experience.
“Growing up in the Army was a double-edged sword,” said Julian. “It was awesome moving around to different places, exploring the world and seeing new things, but at the same time, we always knew that everything was temporary, and eventually, we would move to the next duty station and start over.”
The Army recognizes that service members’ families are the backbone of our military and face unique challenges. November is National Military Veterans and Family Month, an opportunity to recognize the commitment and resilience of Army families and their critical contributions to Army readiness.
“It is not only the person who wears the uniform serving our country, but also their families who make enormous sacrifices for our Nation,” said President Joseph R. Biden Jr. in the 2021 National Veterans and Military Families Month proclamation.
| Date Taken: | 11.29.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 11.29.2021 11:53 |
| Story ID: | 410107 |
| Location: | SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, IL, US |
| Web Views: | 514 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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