Courtesy Photo | Courtesy photo: Electrician’s Mate (Nuclear) 3rd Class Leonardo and Luciano Pastoria...... read more read more
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For most individuals, joining the U.S. Navy is a chance to get away from their hometown, attend college for free, or explore the world, for some it’s a leap into the unknown.
One specific set of twin brothers, serving aboard the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN 763), it’s a journey they’ve taken together, in synchrony.
Electrician’s Mate (Nuclear) 3rd Class Leonardo and Luciano Pastoria knew service was in their future. “We both felt the need to serve,” Luciano explained. “College could wait. We wanted to experience the discipline, and we were drawn to submarines because of the camaraderie and the tightly knit nature of a smaller command.”
From Maine City, Michigan, thanks to the Navy’s “Buddy Program,” a unique opportunity that allows Sailors to go through basic training together in Chicago, they continued one path to 'A' school in South Carolina, and now San Diego.
“When the detailer reached out with two openings on the Santa Fe, we jumped at the opportunity,” Leonardo said. “We always expected our paths to split, but now we get to serve together, we weren’t going to pass that up.”
Their family was surprised and proud that they are still together.
“They knew we had the same job, but they were relieved when they found out we’d be stationed together. It gave them peace of mind.” Leonardo stated.
Serving alongside a friend or sibling can be fun and rewarding but also a challenge at times working in the same division.
“Some people might think we’d get tired of each other,” Luciano joked. “And yeah, that can happen, but we work really well together. We think in similar ways, so we tackle tasks more efficiently together.”
The twins look so similar, sometimes the crew cannot tell them apart, leading to humorous encounters.
“People have confused us,” they admitted with a laugh. “We’ve swapped places every now and then just to mess with everyone and no one has been able to tell us apart.”
Despite their similarities physically, they insist they’re not joined at the hip and are different in their own ways.
“We’re independent. We have different personalities, which helps us approach problems from different angles. It makes us a better team.”
A typical day aboard the Santa Fe for these twins can have its challenges but they overcome them.
“You get up, eat, stand watch for eight hours, do maintenance for the next eight, then try to get sleep,” Luciano explained. “We both knew what we signed up for. You just keep your head high and push through. A tight-knit division helps a lot, and playing cards on crews' mess gives us time to decompress.”
Just like any other career, submarine life can have its rough spots.
“The hardest part is the lack of personal space. The only privacy you get is in your rack, and that’s just a small bunk. Having each other doesn’t fix that, but it helps,” Leonardo explained. “It’s just easier knowing my brother is there.”
They also emphasized the importance of establishing a daily routine while underway.
“Routines keep you sane. I stay on top of my health, bring supplements, and stick to a workout schedule even underway.” Luciano stated.
When it comes to the future, the twins are taking things day by day.
“Nothing is certain,” Leonardo said. “Right now, we have a plan, but it could change.”
They encourage other siblings to serve together.
“If it’s done right, it’s a huge advantage, you can split rent, food, and even a car, it makes life easier. Plus, you’ve got built-in support.”
The Pastoria twins’ bond brings not just comfort to each other, but a unique strength to the Santa Fe family.
Santa Fe is one of four Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 11 which are capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
For more information, contact SPSC_CSS11_PAO@navy.mil, call +1 (619) 553-1278, or visit our command website at https://www.csp.navy.mil/css11/.
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2025 16:52 |
| Story ID: | 501524 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 1,532 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Double Depths: Twin Sailors navigate life together aboard USS Santa Fe (SSN 763), by PO1 Tiarra Brown, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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