Maj. Christina Cavanaugh, thirty fifth Engineer Battalion government officer (left), administers the oath of workplace to her brother, Capt. Derick Harjo, government officer for Firm C, 169th Engineer Battalion, throughout his promotion to captain on Monday on the Naval Development Battalion Middle, in Gulfport, Mississippi.
VIEW ORIGINAL
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The Army is a small world in any case, at the very least for Maj. Christina Cavanaugh, thirty fifth Engineer Battalion government officer, and her youthful brother, Capt. Derick Harjo, government officer for Firm C, 169th Engineer Battalion.
Whereas the 169th is headquartered at Fort Leonard Wooden, underneath the first Engineer Brigade, Charlie Firm trains Army carpentry and masonry engineers on the multi-service Naval Development Coaching Middle on the Naval Development Battalion Middle, in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Cavanaugh traveled from Fort Leonard Wooden to Gulfport to manage the oath of workplace to her brother throughout his promotion to captain on Monday.
“Ever since we have been younger, it has all the time been necessary to me to set the instance for my little brother,” she mentioned. “We didn’t develop up in the identical home for his total childhood, and regardless that I used to be at a distance from him for many of his life, I made certain I used to be nonetheless current and out there.”
For Harjo, the chance to have household current for considered one of his profession milestones was thrilling as a result of their household is small and can’t all the time journey cross-country.
“It gave us a vibrant reminiscence to have as a household shifting ahead,” he mentioned.
The uncommon event was additionally an opportunity for Cavanaugh to show the roles of each large sister and senior rating officer.
“I’m watching my little brother develop as a person and Army officer,” she mentioned. “As we develop up and have our personal lives, we develop aside. So, this was a possibility for us to come back collectively, and for me to mentor him.”
Having Cavanaugh there to manage the oath on the ceremony served as a morale enhance for the remainder of the unit as nicely, mentioned Capt. Brad Dinkel, Charlie Firm commander.
Dinkel mentioned you will need to acknowledge Troopers and their households within the largest venues doable, as a result of it helps everybody refocus on achievement and success.
“We wish to acknowledge the dedication and sacrifices households make day by day to help their Troopers,” he mentioned. “Households are an integral supply of power for our Troopers, and Charlie Firm is dedicated to the well-being of Troopers and their households. Recognizing either side of the group is extraordinarily necessary to us.”
This wasn’t the primary time Cavanaugh has traveled to help her brother. In 2018, she commissioned him at her alma mater, the U.S. Army Academy at West Level, New York — a path he took in her footsteps.
“As a toddler, I knew I needed to go discover the world and search journey,” Harjo mentioned. “When my sister obtained accepted into West Level, we went and visited her and toured the campus.”
Afterward, Harjo mentioned all the pieces clicked for him. His Army profession makes the siblings each seventh-generation service members — their father was an Army Engineer officer as nicely.
Later this month, Cavanaugh will transfer from the thirty fifth to take over as XO on the 169th, and Harjo will transfer from the 169th to the 554th Engineer Battalion whereas he attends the Engineer Captains Profession Course right here. The concept he was so near being assigned to the identical unit as his sister put issues into perspective for Harjo in an entertaining manner.
“I believe the entire thing is humorous, and it brings a smile to my face,” Harjo mentioned. “The Army has models throughout continents, however can be so small that I find yourself in the identical unit as my older sister.”
After finishing ECCC, Harjo mentioned he hopes to take command of an organization — one thing he’s prepared for, in accordance with Dinkel.
“Capt. Harjo is dedicated to the Troopers within the unit and has persistently proven that he cares in regards to the group and is prepared for command,” Dinkel mentioned. “We’re all excited for the subsequent chapter of his story, and need him all the perfect.”
For Cavanaugh, selling her brother is a practice she hopes to proceed — and possibly, even in the identical unit sooner or later.
“I might like to serve with him in the identical command,” she mentioned. “I hope to advertise him to main in six to seven years.”
