Photo By Staff Sgt. Jose Miguel Tamondong | Members of the Eielson Hockey Team pose for a group photo on Fort Wainwright, Alaska,...... read more read more
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EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska–While it’s not uncommon to be stationed at the same base as your sibling, it’s definitely a rarity for two brothers to play on the same local hockey team while representing the Air Force and Eielson. The Taylor brothers are among a select few in the service who are fortunate enough to have this opportunity.
Special Agent Jack Taylor from Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 632, currently leads the Eielson Hockey Team as its president alongside his brother Senior Airman Adam Taylor, a 354th Contracting Squadron contract specialist journeyman, the team’s vice president.
Growing up with three sisters and another brother in the small town of West Springfield, Massachusetts, the Taylor brothers would always find themselves playing hockey whether it was knee hockey in their living room or roller hockey in the streets. Jack, the oldest brother, can still vividly recall always having hockey sticks in their grasps.
“We were literally born into it. We started playing hockey as soon as we could,” said Jack. “When we were being too loud playing hockey in the basement, we’d get thrown out and play in the parking lot down the road.”
Adam, who is seven years younger than Jack, remembers getting roller blades attached to his shoes as soon as he could start walking. Jack attributes his and Adam’s early fascination with hockey to their mother being a fan of the Boston Bruins.
“For as long as I can remember, we would go and watch the local American Hockey League games and as soon as we got home, we would just start playing hockey ourselves,” said Jack. “Every year we pretty much had a backyard ice rink. Before school we’d hop on the backyard rink and as soon as we got home we’d be back out there.”
As he got older, Jack pondered the idea of getting out of their small town. Enticed by the idea of traveling and a cousin who was a Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force at the time, Jack decided to enlist in 2012.
“Growing up I had a cousin who was a Chief in the Air Force way back in the day. He’d always tell me to join the Air Force and I’d always tell him no,” said Jack. “Then I graduated high school and I’d wanted to do a carpentry apprenticeship but for some reason, one day I just wanted to join the Air Force. I think it may have something to do with wanting to get out of a small town and being able to travel.”
Amazed by the cool things his brother has witnessed and experienced while in the Air Force, Adam followed his older brother’s footsteps and enlisted in 2018.
“I enlisted in November 2018 right after high school. I had an idea throughout high school that I wanted to join,” said Adam. “I saw some of the cool things that [Jack] did while he was in Saudi Arabia. I wanted to travel too.”
During his first week in technical school, Adam got his assignment to Alaska. He arrived at Eielson in April 2019. Four months later, Jack, who was assigned to Robins AFB, Georgia, at the time, called Adam to inform him about possibly getting stationed at Eielson as well.
Originally working as a personnelist, Jack retrained to become an OSI special agent four years ago while stationed in Saudi Arabia. Upon applying, Jack was first stationed at Robins AFB as a special agent. When picked up for his next assignment at Eielson, the brothers would finally be reunited again after ten years.
Adam now lives next door to Jack, his wife, Stephanie, and their two daughters, Delilah and Hayden. Both brothers are grateful for the opportunity to live and work close to one another.
“Having my brother around is great. I work down the street from him. I live next door to him. It’s very convenient,” said Adam. “They cook dinner for me all the time. It’s super nice. Being able to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with family is always nice. I also get to spend time with my nieces, so it definitely has its perks.”
Another good thing that came out of Jack and Adam being stationed at Eielson together is the opportunity to play for the Eielson Hockey Team. Adam joined the team upon learning about it from a coworker in 2019. The previous team president then asked Jack to take over the position in early 2021.
“This is my first time being involved and playing for a base hockey team. It’s ten years later but better late than never,” said Jack. “I expressed my interest in helping the previous individual who was running the team. When he got deployed he asked me to be the president of the team and turn it into a private organization.”
Interestingly, this is also the first time the brothers get to play organized hockey together. All the years they’ve spent playing together proved to be an advantage now that they’re on the same team.
“Being able to play organized hockey with Jack is super fun. We know where each other will be on the ice. We have chemistry together,” said Adam. “We always tell everybody we come as a packaged deal.”
Their love of hockey not only led them to play on the same team but also represent the base and the Air Force while doing so.
“It’s definitely cool to be able to play with your brother but the bigger picture is we get to represent the Air Force and Eielson with it so it’s a good feeling. It’s a really cool opportunity that not everybody gets.” said Adam.
Those who are interested in joining the Eielson Hockey Team can contact SA Jack Taylor at jack.taylor.5@us.af.mil.
Story was posted to the Eielson Air Force Base website on Feb. 9, 2022 and may be found at https://www.eielson.af.mil/News/Features/Display/Article/2929539/sticking-together-eielsons-hockey-brothers/.
| Date Taken: | 02.08.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 02.09.2022 11:48 |
| Story ID: | 414347 |
| Location: | EIELSON AFB, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Sticking together: Eielson’s hockey brothers, by SSgt Jose Miguel Tamondong, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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