Photo By Staff Sgt. Tristan Peete | U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Patrick Dellinger (left), a human resources specialist poses...... read more read more
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KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany - Two brothers continued their family’s legacy of service by sharing their promotion and reenlistment ceremonies on Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, Germany, Oct. 19, 2024.
Newly promoted U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Patrick Dellinger and his brother, Spc. Felix Dellinger, serve in the same unit in Europe, the 97th Chemical Battalion, 163rd Regional Support Group.
Patrick received promotion orders from specialist to sergeant dated Oct. 1, 2024. Unaware of his brother's pending promotion, Felix worked with his career counselor to reenlist. They were both told that their individual ceremonies would be held during their unit’s battle assembly in October.
“From our side, it wasn’t planned that my brother got promoted, and I re-enlisted at the same time,” said Felix. “It just aligned perfectly.”
Upon this realization, they decided to conduct their individual career milestones together.
“It is definitely fun to have family in the mix,” said Felix. “I am a little competitive, so it is good to be able to push each other. I want to get where he is at.”
Their joint ceremonies weren’t the only coincidence.
“To have our first reenlistment take place on the one-year anniversary of our unit's inception was an especially meaningful moment,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Garcia, the battalion commander of the 97th CM BN. “It underscored the progress that we have made in our first year and set the stage for even greater achievements in the years to come. To have two brothers serving together in the same unit is rare, and it speaks to the strength of their bond and their shared commitment to our mission.”
The brothers grew up in Stuttgart, Germany, with their mother, a German native, and their father, a retired command sergeant major with 32 years of service.
Following the footsteps of his father, Patrick joined active duty as an infantryman in 2018 and was stationed in Alaska with the 11th Airborne Division. After his initial contract, Patrick decided to explore other options in the military.
“I joined the Army Reserve because I wanted to maintain that connection to the Army, but not dedicate as much time as I had on active duty,” said Patrick.
Patrick joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 2023 as a human resources specialist with the 97th Chemical Battalion, 163rd Regional Support Group, in Wiesbaden. While serving in the human resources section, Patrick discovered a different open position within the organization and decided to contact his younger brother and encourage him to join the Army Reserve with the unique opportunity to serve in the same unit.
Felix Dellinger also continued his family’s legacy by enlisting into the Army in 2020 as an infantryman. Felix served 4 years at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, with the 82nd Airborne Division. After his service on active duty, Felix transitioned into the Army Reserve to continue his service alongside his brother.
“The military has always been family,” said Felix. “I was planning on staying in the Army for the full 20 years, but I also wanted to explore my options on the civilian side. I got lucky that there was an opening in my brother’s unit that was close to my home in Germany.”
Coming from the active component to the Army Reserve, the Dellinger brothers have proven to be stronger together.
“The Dellinger brothers have been an incredible asset to our unit,” said Garcia. “Both bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table, and they work exceptionally well together. They have a unique dynamic that enables them to complement each other's strengths and compensate for each other's weaknesses. They have been instrumental in our skill level one training, where their infantry background has been invaluable. Overall, I cannot overstate the impact that they have had on our unit, both as individuals and as a team.”
The Dellinger brothers plan to continue their father’s legacy of military service together while also pursuing their own civilian ventures in Europe.
“I think being able to serve in the same unit together is a great motivator for the both of us,” said Patrick. “I enjoy the family rivalry between us, it pushes us to strive to not only be better than each other but, better than ourselves.”
The 7th Mission Support Command is the U.S. Army Reserve presence in Europe. Comprised of 26 units across Germany and Italy, the 7th MSC provides logistical and sustainment resources in support of U.S. Army Europe-Africa missions across the theater. For more stories and information on the America's Army Reserve in Europe, connect on Facebook @7thmsc.
| Date Taken: | 10.19.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.22.2024 11:41 |
| Story ID: | 483500 |
| Location: | WIESBADEN, HESSEN, DE |
| Web Views: | 172 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Army Reserve Brothers Continue Their Family Legacy in Europe, by SSG Tristan Peete, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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