Childhood friends reunite in Iraq

Photo By Sgt. Darryl Montgomery | Lt. Col. Jake Conway, G2 Assistant Chief of Staff with the 10th Mountain Division (Light), and Lt. Col. Jim Moore, officer liaison for the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, childhood friends from Branchdale, Pa., have known each other since early childhood. When Conway received his commission in 1989, Moore pinned him as second lieutenant and swore him into the United States Army.  

BASRA, IRAQ

04.29.2009

Story by Spc. Darryl Montgomery 

Multi-National Division-South East Public Affairs

CONTENGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq — Two childhood friends that use to play 'army' together have recently crossed paths in Iraq.

Lt. Col. Jake Conway and Lt. Col. Jim Moore, both natives of Branchdale, Pa., ran into each other at COB Basra in what they call a meeting of fate.

The two spent their childhood together hunting and playing sports, they said. Most of their time was spent outside in the small, rural town with a population of about 900. Moore, the son of a retired sergeant major, said although the town is small, it produces a lot of Service members.

Conway, G2 assistant chief of staff with the 10th Mountain Division (LI), and Moore, liaison officer for the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, said this is the second time they have crossed paths while on duty in the last 20 years Conway has been in the military. Moore has served 24 years.

The first was in the summer of 1995 during an exercise called Mountain Peak at Fort Drum, N.Y.

"I was an infantry battalion intelligence officer," Conway said. "My battalion was the opposing force and Moore was an air cavalry troop commander at the time."

"We were up at Fort Drum for our annual training period doing reconnaissance rehearsal missions," Moore added. "I got in touch with Jake and found out his guys were the opposing force."

"I put him to work for us," Conway added, "Moore reconned for the opposing force."

"He was getting intelligence feeds and no one could figure out how," Moore added, both sharing a laugh at the memory.

"We have known each other our entire lives. We grew up together about 20 yards apart," said Conway. "Our parents, still to this day, live in those same houses."

"We went to the same grade school, high school, college and we went through the same ROTC program," Moore added.

"Moore is four years older than me and I have always looked up to him as a mentor," said Conway. "He had a lot of influence in my decision to join the Army.

"I saw him get an Army Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship through Penn State University and become a commissioned officer," Conway added. "I knew in high school I wanted to be an Army officer, so I followed after him in that I received an Army ROTC scholarship through PSU."

While Conway was still a cadet, Moore graduated, received his commission, went on active duty and took a duty assignment in Germany. At the end of his tour in Germany, he joined the Pennsylvania National Guard.

"The timing was such that I was in Pennsylvania when Jake was coming up for his commissioning," Moore said, "He asked me if I could commission him, so I did."

Moore, a captain at the time, pinned the rank of second lieutenant on the collar of the newly commissioned Army officer on May 12, 1989. Moore also swore in Conway to the United States Army.

"I have been on active duty since then," Conway said, "going on 20 years now."

"And I have continued to serve in the National Guard," Moore added.

"We never thought we would have the opportunity to serve together because of our two different career paths," Conway said. "Ironically, here in Iraq, we both work together in the same division headquarters."

Moore said there have only been a few times in the past the two have seen each other. They have kept in touch through e-mail and other ways of corresponding though.

"Our last adventure together was when Moore flew up to Alaska to accompany me while I was undergoing a permanent change of station from Alaska to Fort Huachuca, Ariz.," said Conway.

Moore flew up to meet Conway at Fort Richardson, Alaska, in March of 1993 and the two drove all the way down the Alaska-Canadian Highway, thru the U.S. to Pennsylvania before the move to Arizona , Conway recalled.

"It was a 10 day road trip," Moore added, both of them laughing together at the memory they shared. "That was our last 'mission' together."

The two arrived in Basra within days of each other. Conway, coming from Camp Victory, is finishing his tour and will be heading back home to Fort Drum in the near future.

Moore is just beginning his tour in Iraq and is expecting to be here until January, 2010. He said he is looking forward to his mission and being able to support the 10th Mtn. Div. for the remainder of their tour and 34th Infantry Division when it take over.

Reflecting on the mission of the 10th Mtn. Div., Conway said, "We did an outstanding job and we truly made a difference to the overall mission here in Iraq, and most importantly to the people of Iraq and the Iraqi security forces."

• Date Taken: 04.29.2009
• Date Posted: 04.30.2009 12:22
• Story ID: 33054
• Location: BASRA, IQ