British father and son together on tour in Afghanistan

Father and son together on tour in Afghanistan

A People In Defence news article

11 Jan 10

A father and son who are both part of 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) [2 YORKS] Battle Group currently serving in Afghanistan are finding that being with loved ones on operations can bring challenges as well as rewards. Report by Tristan Kelly.

Lance Corporal Josh Brown (left) and his father, Colour Sergeant Spencer Brown, at Camp Tombstone in Helmand province
[Picture: Sergeant Rob Knight, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

It is not unusual for sons, and indeed daughters, to follow in their fathers' footsteps and join the Armed Forces, but few actually get to serve alongside each other on deployment.

However that is the case for Colour Sergeant Spencer Brown and his son, Lance Corporal Josh Brown, who are both members of 2 YORKS and have been posted to Helmand province as part of the 2 YORKS Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) Battle Group.

In Afghanistan, CSgt Brown is the Acting Intelligence Officer based at the 2 YORKS Battle Group headquarters at Camp Tombstone, adjacent to Camp Bastion. He also has responsibilities for mentoring his counterpart in the 3/205 Brigade of the Afghan National Army (ANA), based in nearby Camp Shorabak.

Meanwhile, son Josh is out on the ground based in Patrol Base 1 in Babaji, which was one of the most dangerous insurgent strongholds in southern Afghanistan before being secured by British forces during Operation PANCHAI PALANG in the summer of 2009.

Among LCpl Brown's responsibilities is taking part in daily foot patrols to offer reassurance to the local population and deny insurgents influence in the area. He too has responsibilities for mentoring and, as part of an OMLT, works with Afghan soldiers so that eventually they can take sole control of the area.

It is the first time that 19-year-old LCpl Brown has deployed on operations after deciding to take up the family trade - a choice that LCpl Brown feels has saved him from bad influences and dead-end jobs at home:..

There is more, of course, and you can read it here.