89th Airlift Squadron siblings share passion for flying

  • Published
  • By Stacy Vaughn
  • 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Two brothers assigned to the 89th Airlift Squadron share not only a blood connection but a passion for flying. Capt. Matt Judd, pilot, and Staff Sergeant Chris Judd, loadmaster, are both happy to be assigned to the same unit.

"Having my brother here in the unit was weird at first but now it feels natural. I feel if I were to move on to a civilian job that he would come with me," Captain Judd said. He added that it's a lot easier to say, 'hi' face-to-face than it is to have to call each other long distance.

As the younger brother, Sergeant Judd said he'll look to Matt for advice at times. "It's cool having a brother in the same squadron. He's been around longer than I have so he knows the ins and outs of being in the military," Sergeant Judd said.

Captain Judd said when he first joined the Air Force Reserves, he didn't understand the roles of each crewmember until his brother showed an interest in joining and filling an enlisted aircrew position.

"At first I didn't get a good look at what the other aircrew members (flight engineer and loadmaster) do. So the first couple years I worked here I was more or less telling my brother, 'Hey, move along. Try and get your pilots license. Try to do this, try to do that.' But now I see how important his job as a loadmaster is to the military and also to our squadron, I wouldn't ask him to do anything differently," Captain Judd said.

The brothers are happy to be part of the same unit but do not see each other that often while at work due because siblings are not allowed to fly on the same missions.

"We're allowed to work in the same unit but we're not allowed to fly together. Some of the examples we were given on why we can't fly together includes; the five Sullivan brothers who were killed when their ship sank in 1942, and the movie, "Saving Private Ryan." That movie seemed to be the turning point for changing the rules so that siblings could not to be able to be together on ships and airplanes," Captain Judd said.

Sergeant Judd said that they both double check with scheduling to make sure they are not put on the same mission, which can easily be overlooked.

"It has happened before when we check the schedule so one of us has to opt out and find a replacement," Sergeant Judd said.

Although they don't get to fly on the same missions, they try and get together every now and then when they are both not out on a mission.

"We enjoy doing things together outside of the unit. Every once in a while we'll get together at our dad's house just socialize basically," Captain Judd said.