Different Ships Make Opportunities Rare

Lieutenants Lee and Travis Amerine, the Amerine brothers, knew they wanted to fly from an early age. "There was an F-4 Phantom squadron near our hometown in Paris, Arkansas. We would watch them take off from the end of the runway," said Travis, assigned to the "Royal Maces" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27 of Carrier Air Wing (CAW) 5 embarked on George Washington. "It didn't take much more than one afterburner takeoff to convince us that we wanted to go do that."

Nimitz File Photo

Lee blazed the trail for Travis and their younger brother Denver, by graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 2003. Travis and Denver are also Naval Academy graduates. "We all got the idea at the same time when we were kids," said Lee, assigned to the "Tophatters" of VFA-14 of CVW 11 embarked on Nimitz. "I was just the first one who was able to pursue it."

Since the brothers are assigned to two different air wings on different carriers, the opportunity they had to fly together was very rare.  Last week, the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) concluded routine air and surface operations with the forward deployed George Washington Carrier Strike Group in support of the maritime strategy, and the two brothers wound up flying a sortie at the same time.

Washington File Photo

"I didn't think it was going to happen," said Lee. "The chances of us being up there at  the same time were slim. It is still hard to believe that we got airborne together, in the same cycle from two separate flight decks with all the possibilities that could have canceled us," said Travis.

Both pilots are thankful for the once in a lifetime opportunity and the chance they have to serve their country everyday. "We're both loving what we're doing," said Lee. "It was incredible," said Travis. "I just hope to keep serving my country both in and out of the cockpit, and to never forget that every sortie is a gift."

ANN Salutes Mass Communication Specialist Seaman (SW) Amara R. Timberlake, USS Nimitz Public Affairs

FMI: www.navy.mil/local/cvn68