Uncle, newphew serve together at Camp Speicher in Iraq

BY DAVID PATTON
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD COURIER

COB SPEICHER, Iraq – Being a squadron commander in Iraq has many responsibilities, including providing fair and impartial leadership for all of the troops under his command. However, having a nephew serving in the same unit makes Lt. Col. James A. Blevins’ job a little more daunting.

“Yes, it is difficult not to show favoritism or be partial towards Justin,” said Blevins, a Damascus, Va., resident who is the commander of the 3rd Squadron 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment of the Tennessee Army National Guard. The squadron has been stationed at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, about 100 miles north of Baghdad, for a couple months now.

“While he is my nephew, however, I have to follow military policy as well as every other soldier on this base,” Blevins said.

Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, fraternization prohibitions between officers and enlisted personnel keep uncle and nephew from being “buddies” on the base.

Blevins readily admits he is very pleased with his nephew’s decision to join the Army National Guard.

“I was probably a big influence on Justin joining the service, but I didn’t pressure him to do so,” Blevins said. “It was his own decision and then we sat down and talked it over a few times. I am very proud of him.”

The Blevins family is steeped in military history.

Lt. Col. James Blevins said his father, Jacob Blevins, was in the U.S. Navy and served in Korea, while his oldest brother, Jacob Jr., is an Army veteran.

“I am a 24-year veteran myself and now Justin is in the National Guard,” James Blevins said. “Four members of the family are now veterans.”

Being the squadron commander, James Blevins said, he still worries about his nephew’s safety as well as all of the troops in the war zone.

“He has prepared himself and has the same training we all have, plus he has just finished up training here for convoy missions,” James Blevins said.

The younger Blevins, a 24-year-old sergeant in the squadron, said part of his reason for joining the military was to give something back to the community.

“I was born in a free country and I want to help preserve those freedoms that our country enjoys,” Justin Blevins said, adding that he was always proud of his uncle and wanted to join the Army because of him.

“I’m excited about completing my convoy vehicle training and now I am eager to go out on more missions,” Justin Blevins said.

When asked if he received any special treatment, Justin Blevins smiled and said, “Remember the other morning when you saw me building that shelving unit? Well, that was extra duty. My official shift didn’t start until later that afternoon.”

Justin Blevins said he doesn’t want nor does he expect any special treatment because his uncle is a high-ranking officer.

“I want to be treated just like all the other sergeants here in the unit and believe me, if I make a mistake I hear it from both the military and from my uncle,” Justin Blevins said.

He said he doesn’t mind the extra duties nor the “tougher road,” and instead likes to brag about his unit. He said his squadron has the best chain of command in the state.

Justin Blevins said he also gets support for his decision to serve from his father and mother, Ron Blevins and Nancy Testor, and especially his wife, Kirsten.

“I’ve got the best wife in the world; she supports me 110 percent,” Justin Blevins said. “I am here working an eight-hour day with maybe some extra duty along the way, but Kirsten is back home working 24 hours a day taking care of our son, Bryson Tyler-Allen, who will be 1 year old in July.”

Thanks to all of the new-age electronic gizmos, Justin Blevins said, he keeps in touch with everyone back home using Skype on his computer. Skype allows both visual and verbal communication between the two, even though they are more than 6,000 miles apart.

Justin Blevins remembers well what his grandmother, Patty Blevins, said to him when he joined the Army: “Don’t worry about filling your uncle’s shoes, but make your own path.”

Justin Blevins said he is following her path and is very proud of his part in the role the U.S. military is serving in Iraq.

“It was great what we did over here, pushing out a dictator,” Justin Blevins said. “I want to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqis, which is why I smile at them, trying to leave the impression that we are here to help.”

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