Photo By Spc. Armani Wilson | Sgt. 1st Class Jayson Gibson and his son, Staff Sgt. Bryner Gibson, serve together...... read more read more
FORT JOHNSON, La. — Military service is often defined as a brotherhood, close-knit relationships forged through shared experiences and a shared sense of duty. For Sgt. 1st Class Jayson Gibson and his son, Staff Sgt. Bryner Gibson, their military brotherhood was established first by the bond shared between father and son.
For both of the Gibsons, the search for a future career began in high school and led to the Iowa Army National Guard. Although their enlistments were decades apart, both found a kickstart to fulfilling careers and rewarding benefits.
Jayson initially served for eight years before retiring. However, the drive to serve was renewed in 2016, leading him to reenlist after a 20-year break in service. His return to the Guard inspired his son, Bryner, to follow in his footsteps at 17 years old.
“My dad got back in a year before I enlisted, and just seeing how much he enjoyed it and wanting to serve the country and then also the benefits … it seemed like this was the right choice,” said Bryner.
Work ethic is clearly the backbone of the Gibson family’s service. Their jobs as a 91X (maintenance supervisor) and a 92A (automated logistical specialist) in the 3655th Classification and Inspection Company, 1034th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 734th Regional Support Group, are critical to the operational support needed in the Iowa Army National Guard. Pride in hard work is a trait taken seriously by Jayson, and he is proud to see his son reflecting the family values.
“It is a really neat experience, I have a lot of pride, and he does an exceptional job at what he does,” Jayson reflected. “I get to talk to a lot of people who tell me that he does an exceptional job, and it really makes you proud as a father for what he’s accomplished.”
Jayson and Bryner are not the only Gibsons supporting the Iowa National Guard’s mission. Mrs. Tawyne Gibson serves the unit as the Soldier and Family Readiness Group manager. On a recent drill weekend, Tawyne and Jayson served a pancake breakfast for Soldiers of the 3655th Classification and Inspection Company.
“She enjoys it, she enjoys taking care of people. Because we’re both in the unit, she just fits in well, and she likes to feel like she’s a part also,” Jayson said. “We did a pancake breakfast for the unit, and we fed some people who were not even in our unit, and they appreciated it. Seeing the smiling faces is worth it.”
The Gibson family extends beyond their home in Winterset, Iowa. They see a family built with the Soldiers in their unit, stating that time spent together on drill weekends builds camaraderie and support.
“It is a true family. In my platoon, we will razz each other, but if anybody else says anything to one of your platoon members or your company members, it would be just like my son. You would stick up for them, hands down. We look out for each other. If we find out that somebody is having a hard time, we will sit down and talk to them,” Jayson emphasized. “You know that people have your six. If something came down to it, these people would be there for you, and likewise, I would be there for them.”
The JRTC 25-08 rotation was the first time both Gibsons experienced the challenges presented by the U.S. Army’s fabled Louisiana training grounds, but their mission focus did not falter. While the Gibsons were both at Fort Johnson, they rarely crossed paths, each staying focused on their individual tasks to make the mission a success.
“People would think that we hang out a lot together, but honestly, we do so much different stuff that I talk to him very little. But it’s nice to be able to send a text and get some information because of what he does,” Jayson said.
Whether at home in Iowa as father and son or at JRTC as brothers in arms, the Gibsons represent the values held by Iowa’s Soldiers: shared purpose, mutual support and pride in service.
| Date Taken: | 05.29.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2025 09:52 |
| Story ID: | 499530 |
| Location: | FORT JOHNSON, LOUISIANA, US |
| Hometown: | WINTERSET, IOWA, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Father and Son at Home, Brothers in Arms at JRTC, by SPC Armani Wilson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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