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Face of Defense: Marine Corps Service Strengthens Brothers’ Bond

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Darkness looms over the Marine recruits as they crawl under tangles of barbed wire through muddy trenches.

Marine Corps Pfc. Jason Gautreaux, left, and his brother, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Mitch Gautreaux, take a picture together after training at the School of Infantry at Marine Corps Base Camp Geiger, N.C., Nov. 23, 2016. Both Marines will soon be assigned to units in close proximity to one another after graduating from Squadron Intelligence Training Certification Course. Jason will be assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Mitch will be assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. Courtesy photo
Marine Corps Pfc. Jason Gautreaux, left, and his brother, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Mitch Gautreaux, take a picture together after training at the School of Infantry at Marine Corps Base Camp Geiger, N.C., Nov. 23, 2016. Both Marines will soon be assigned to units in close proximity to one another after graduating from Squadron Intelligence Training Certification Course. Jason will be assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Mitch will be assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. Courtesy photo
Marine Corps Pfc. Jason Gautreaux, left, and his brother, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Mitch Gautreaux, take a picture together after training at the School of Infantry at Marine Corps Base Camp Geiger, N.C., Nov. 23, 2016. Both Marines will soon be assigned to units in close proximity to one another after graduating from Squadron Intelligence Training Certification Course. Jason will be assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Mitch will be assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. Courtesy photo
Brothers
Marine Corps Pfc. Jason Gautreaux, left, and his brother, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Mitch Gautreaux, take a picture together after training at the School of Infantry at Marine Corps Base Camp Geiger, N.C., Nov. 23, 2016. Both Marines will soon be assigned to units in close proximity to one another after graduating from Squadron Intelligence Training Certification Course. Jason will be assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Mitch will be assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. Courtesy photo
Photo By: Marine Corps
VIRIN: 170519-M-CM692-0002

As the recruits yell encouragements to each other to complete the obstacle, one duo literally drag each other to the finish line. One will not leave the other behind, because they are twins; bound by brotherhood.

Now intelligence specialists in the Marine Corps, Lance Cpl. Mitch Gautreaux and Pfc. Jason Gautreaux graduated together May 16 from the Squadron Intelligence Training Certification Course here.

Inseparable Brothers

Born only an hour apart, the brothers have been together since before they can remember. Their friendship was unbreakable, and they often played on the same sports teams through childhood. When the idea to join the Marine Corps came about, the pair made the commitment together.

“My big brother was joining, and I couldn’t let him go off and do something so cool alone,” Mitch said. “I thought, ‘I might as well go on the adventure with him.’”

The twins enlisted directly after high school with the intelligence specialist military occupational specialty. They trained in the same platoon during Marine Corps recruit training, Marine combat training and their MOS school.

“I’ve always had someone looking out for me,” Jason said. “He’s always been right there pushing me. It goes both ways, too. I try to help him succeed in everything as well.”

Pfc. Jason Gautreaux (left) and Lance Cpl. Mitch Gautreaux sit together on a CH-53E Super Stallion preparing to fly from Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C. to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., May 16, 2017. Both Marines will soon be assigned to units in close proximity to one another after graduating from Squadron Intelligence Training Certification Course. Jason will be assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, and Mitch will be assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson/Released)
Marine Corps Pfc. Jason Gautreaux, left, and Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Mitch Gautreaux sit together on a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters preparing to fly from Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., May 16, 2017. Both Marines will soon be assigned to units in close proximity to one another after graduating from Squadron Intelligence Training Certification Course. Jason will be assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Mitch will be assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson
Pfc. Jason Gautreaux (left) and Lance Cpl. Mitch Gautreaux sit together on a CH-53E Super Stallion preparing to fly from Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C. to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., May 16, 2017. Both Marines will soon be assigned to units in close proximity to one another after graduating from Squadron Intelligence Training Certification Course. Jason will be assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, and Mitch will be assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson/Released)
Strengthening a bond of brotherhood through Marine Corps trainin
Marine Corps Pfc. Jason Gautreaux, left, and Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Mitch Gautreaux sit together on a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters preparing to fly from Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., May 16, 2017. Both Marines will soon be assigned to units in close proximity to one another after graduating from Squadron Intelligence Training Certification Course. Jason will be assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Mitch will be assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson
Photo By: Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson
VIRIN: 170516-M-CM692-0290

Helping Each Other

According to Mitch, having his brother train alongside him has helped them both excel.

“If one of us is struggling, we could look over to see the other struggling,” Mitch said. “I’d think to myself ‘If he can do it, I can do it too.’”

Both Marines will soon be assigned to units in close proximity to one another after graduating from SITCC. Jason will be assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, and Mitch will be assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California.

“We’ll still be able to visit each other often,” Jason said. “The separation of the work spaces will be very different, but I don’t think it will be a bad thing at all.”

Mitch said it has always been a benefit to have his brother with him, and they are excited to get out of training and start making a positive impact in the Marine Corps.

“When we joined, our brotherhood was strengthened through the bond the Marine Corps instilled in us,” Mitch said. “I can’t wait to get into the fleet and actually start making a difference.”

 

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