Father, son jump together before deploying

By Sharilyn Wells
Paraglide

	Photos by Sharilyn Wells/Paraglide Private 1st Class Jamal Bowers II, left, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, and his father, Master Sgt. Jamal Browers I, 6th Battalion, 4th Psychological Operations Group, joke with each other as they walk off the drop zone together, June 4.

On a hot and humid morning, a father quietly gave last minute instructions to his son.

“Remember a reverse grip and exit at a 45 degree angle,” said Master Sgt. Jamal Bowers I from 6th Battalion, 4th Psychological Operations Group to his son, Pfc. Jamal Brown II, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group on June 4.
Jamal I said he never thought his son would join the Army. “It was unexpected when he joined. When he started to show interest in the military, he first looked at the Air Force,” he said.

“It was a life changing moment (to join the military),” said Jamal II who never participated in high school junior ROTC. Jamal II joined the Army in 2007.

Jamal I, who was a prior Marine, has been a military servicemember for over 20 years. The father and son duo will be deploying at the same time to separate areas of operations sometime this year. This is the second time they have been deployed during the same period.

“You feel a little antsy knowing your son is (over there) at the same time,” Jamal I said. “But I know he is and with some of the best professionals out there and it eases my nerves.”

Father and son completed an airborne operation supported by 4th POG as a bonding experience. Jamal II was the second jumper out the aircraft followed by his father. They floated down together just yards from each other and shared the long walk off the drop zone. This jumped marked over 40 jumps total for Jamal I and it was Jamal II’s eighth jump since completing Airborne School in April of 2009.

“It was an awesome moment,” Jamal I said. “Once in a lifetime moment for me.”

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