WASHINGTON – U.S. Army combinations of the parent and child patrol the streets of the District of Columbia while maintaining readiness and their family relationship — both wearing the same uniform, supporting the same mission, in the same city of Washington, D.C..
The D.C. Safe Mission provides National Guard support to the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police through presence patrols and community engagement throughout the city. There are plenty of parent-child pairs that strengthen bonds between the two while serving together in support of the D.C. Safe mission.
For U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Undrell Golden, assigned to the 289th Engineer Battalion, it's more than just serving together, it's being able to show professionalism. Staff Sgt. Golden says he enjoys being able to show his son his professional side and how the army works on a larger scale.
“He gets to see the other side of me and learn how to be a professional, ” said Golden.
Golden feels serving together strengthens his motivation, readiness, and his overall ability to lead.
“Knowing that he's looking at me makes me a better person, better leader, and a better soldier,” Golden said.
For Spc. Undrell Golden Jr., assigned to 858th Engineer Battalion, Staff Sgt. Golden’s son, he is able to push himself further due to his fathers presence.
“He always helping me exceed what I would normally try to slack off. He is always able to push me over what I would normally do by myself,” said Spc. Golden.
As for U.S. Army Maj. Roy Baker, 45th Field Artillery, service and Pfc. Radomir Baker, 2-245th Headquarters and Headquarters Company, service is a generational duty. Maj. Baker said he comes from a family with deep military roots and currently has children serving across multiple branches of the armed forces. For him having a son on the mission makes him a better leader.
“ I always tell my leaders they should treat their soldiers as if they were one of their own kids. Because that really puts leadership into perspective, it's not that you wanna give them any special favors. It’s really that you want to make sure they have every opportunity to succeed,” said Maj. Baker.
For Pfc. Baker, professionalism comes first while on mission.
“Whenever I’m on mission, I always treat him as a superior officer,” Baker said. “I don’t see him as family in uniform, but it’s always nice to be able to communicate with your family.”
As the mission continues, these family pairs stand side by side not only as soldiers but as parent-child combinations who share the same commitment to the service and values passed down through generations.