AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar -- The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot is 292 million to 1, which is more likely than the odds of twin brothers serving in the same military branch, at the same deployed location, in the same unit, while also performing the same job at the same time.
This unlikely scenario is once in a lifetime and may never happen again, but two 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Airmen at Al Udeid AB are defying the odds.
“I am so grateful for this opportunity,” said Senior Airman Nick Dufresne, a 379th ESFS entry controller at Al Udeid AB. “To be both on our first deployment, together, is something rare and truly special. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to experience this with than my brother.”
While deployments can be very tough on families, it is family that is helping these brothers serve their nation together during their deployment.
“Working with my twin is pretty funny honestly,” said Senior Airman Chris Dufresne, a 379th ESFS entry controller. “People in our flight don’t know which twin is which, so we get called each other’s name every day, even by the people who know us really well.”
Appearances can be deceiving when it comes to identical twins. Despite that, there are still many differences separating the two.
“I get to see how differently we work together,” Chris said. “He performs certain tasks differently and I take a different approach to work. I’ve been told I smile more and I’m more talkative since Nick likes to be more observant.”
Chris and Nick have different home stations away from their deployment. Chris is stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, with the 6th SFS while Nick is stationed at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, with the 628th SFS.
The brothers even joined around the same time. Chris joined the U.S. Air Force May 8, 2018, while Nick joined two weeks later. They were born and grew up at Royal Air Force Alconbury, England.
“Before we were deployed together, we always stayed in contact with each other,” Nick said. “Now we do everything together. We workout together, we eat every meal at the same time, usually we go swimming or to the gym together.”
Both are inseparable and their deployment together reminds them of when they use to share a room with bunk beds as children. It is because of their strong and unique bond that adds some lightheartedness and relief to serving in a deployed environment.
“Without my brother, I didn’t have these types of interactions or jokes back at my home station,” Nick said. “Even though we have been here awhile now and probably because we are on the same shift, we still find humor in getting mixed up every day, even by our closer friends, and that’s something we look forward to.”
With similar haircuts and even growing out “deployed mustaches”, it is incredibly hard to tell the two apart. As identical twins, they have the same body frame and size. But when asked who was stronger, the answer was different, but yet, the same.
“All I am going to say is that I asked for weights for Christmas as a kid and that Chris asked for new video games every single year,” Nick said. “I am 100 percent stronger. I compete in powerlifting competitions and hold two state powerlifting records in South Carolina.”
While Chris admits his brother can lift more weight than him, Chris also pointed out that Nick is the worst wrestler of the two. So the competitive drive still runs deep between them.
“Personally, I also think I am better at security forces work,” Chris said jokingly. “Before I enlisted, I had more combatives experience and more work experience with meeting different people.”
Regardless of who is stronger or better at something over the other, they both share the same compassion for one another.
“The military has been one crazy ride so far and I love it, but to share this experience with my brother is something I will never forget,” Nick said.
Due to the nature of their job, they both are equipped with multiple firearms, an aspect they have both embraced.
“I would rather something happen to me over something happening to him any day,” Chris said. “I would run through a wall for him, jump into a fire for him, I’d go through any battlefield, over any obstacle, if it meant getting him out of harm’s way.”
That is what brothers do. The love they share for one another and the mutual rapport built from birth over many years is the family connection that people ultimately strive for in and outside of serving in the military.
“What makes the military great is that it is like a brotherhood in a way,” Nick said. “Everyone shares the mentality that they are willing to go through difficult times for the person next to him or her.”
Chris added it doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like when you wear the uniform.
“But for Nick and I, we do look alike, so if I find myself in a firefight, I’ll throw myself [Nick] over my shoulder and get myself [Nick] and I out of there when things get bad,” Chris said. “If you had a twin or a brother, you would understand, but if you are in the military, then you would definitely understand what I am talking about.”
For these two brothers, the similarities they shared made them close and alike, they even joined the Air Force to serve together. They have done almost everything together, and because of this deployment, they are now closer than ever before, not in just proximity, but in the bond they share for one another.