Face of Defense: Oh Brother! Ford Siblings Share the Sailor's Life

"The worst part about being on a ship with my older brother is that I have to see a shiny head going through the p-ways, it's not hard to miss, it's like a bullseye," said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Darion Thornton, assigned to the world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford's air department. At 20 years old, Darion is the youngest of his three brothers from Charleston, South Carolina. 

His oldest brother, the one with the shiny head, is 29-year-old Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jered Thornton, assigned to the Gerald R. Ford's intelligence department. Jered and Darion Thornton have been serving at the same command since March 2022. 

According to Darion, the inspiration to join the Navy came to him while in high school after seeing Jered achieve his independence through enlistment. 
 
"It was my senior year, and I was trying to figure out if I wanted to go to college," said Darion. "My brother came down for Christmas leave that year and sat down and talked to me. The next morning, I told him to take me to the recruiting station to start the process."

 
Jered is the Gerald R. Ford's intelligence division leading petty officer acting as an operational intelligence analyst. This July, he will have reached 10 years of service in the Navy. He explains he recommended to Darion to consider the military because of what it did for himself as a young man. 
 
"The thing that it gave to me, that I really needed, was standardization and a firm direction," said Jered. "That really helped me to get on track when I was 18." 

 
In February of 2021, while stationed at the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center in Fallon, Nevada, Jered found a billet that would place him aboard the Gerald R. Ford. After already serving a tour on the West Coast, the job would bring him closer to his hometown, and to the same command as Darion. According to Jered, it was a good career move and a unique chance to serve alongside Darion and impart upon his brother his life lessons. 
 
"When I first left the nest, I was striking out on my own and I didn't have anyone to reach out to that could relate to what I was going through," said Jered. "When the opportunity came along for me to apply for these orders, it was a no brainer. I would be able to be there in person to see what my brother was going through and to share those experiences with him and be able to provide guidance."  

Darion says the advice is the best thing about having his brother on the same ship, and that his presence helps strengthen his resolve to complete his mission while deployed. 
 
"I am able to go to him and ask for advice, de-stress from work and joke on him a little bit," said Darion. "It helps when I can pick his brain about certain things about my job and Navy career, and just to have him here." 
 
The Thornton brothers agree that serving at the same command with a family member has its benefits. For them, it has also come with its share of fond memories. On June 2, 2023, Darion was promoted to the rank of petty officer third class. He chose his older brother to pin his collar device on his uniform. 

 
"When my older brother pinned me, it was a surreal experience due to the fact that not many people get to serve at the same command with their family members or loved ones," said Darion. "I was very overjoyed to have my older brother pin me, to have somebody who I looked up to as a kid growing up, who helped take care of me, it brought tears to my eyes." Darion says his goal is to be able to be there, like Jered was there for him, to pin the anchors on his brother when he makes the rank of chief petty officer.

(Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Aaron Arroyo is assigned to the USS Gerald R. Ford.)