Father and son serve in Afghanistan

Like most veteran noncommissioned officers in the Army Guard, UH-60 Blackhawk crew chief Master Sgt. Patrick Moore accepted the news of a pending deployment to Afghanistan as part of his job. Unlike most NCOs, though, was the fact Moore would prepare and spend the deployment with his son, Ryan, a fellow soldier in Moore's unit.

Both father and son are Douglas High School graduates. Patrick, 45, is the son of Gardnerville residents Bob and Jan Moore. Bob Moore said Patrick and Ryan, 22, both live in Reno.

Moore finds himself in the curious position of being responsible for the soldiers in his task force as the acting first sergeant while also keeping tabs on his son, Spc. Ryan Moore.

Both are in southern Afghanistan with the Nevada Army Guard's C Company, 1/168th Aviation working at an air base serving on a medical evacuation task force.

"I truly believe having my son with me is quite appropriate because of who we are as guardsmen," Patrick Moore said via e-mail from Afghanistan. "The National Guard is a community based organization forged from many decades of patriotism, tradition and service.

"And whether I am mentoring Ryan as a soldier or as my son, the baseline used to provide guidance is drawn from my personal values and belief system and is consistent with the Army values and standards."

The younger Moore said he values his father's knowledge on their current deployment.

"It's a great opportunity to be deployed with my father," Ryan Moore said. "He has a wealth of experience in doing exactly what we are doing. I'm able to learn by his example and better myself as a soldier."

The senior Moore gained his experience through several previous deployments. His first deployment as a young Marine was to Desert Storm. After returning home, Moore joined the Nevada National Guard in 1992 as an aviation medical evacuation soldier.

Despite some unit nomenclature changes, Moore has been with the same unit ever since and he first deployed with the unit to support Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo.

This is not the senior Moore's first time to Afghanistan, either. He was there in 2003-04 with the medical evacuation unit and is now back in Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

With Ryan's enlistment three years ago, the Moore family has been involved with the Nevada National Guard for three generations. Patrick's father was Chief Warrant Officer (retired) Bobby Moore, who served for 30 years in the Army Guard. Moore also has two brothers who served in the National Guard.

In addition to supporting her husband's and son's military service, Patrick's wife and Ryan's mother, Karla Moore, serves herself as a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve with A Company, 328th Combat Support Hospital, in Sacramento, Calif.

"If I were deployed with the 1/168th, I would want my detachment sergeant to be Master Sgt. Moore," Karla Moore said. "There is no doubt that he is the best soldier for the job of keeping our Nevada soldiers safe."

Despite the fact she believes he's the best soldier for the job, Karla Moore said her husband's absence still stings.

"It's the little things you miss, such as that first spring hike in the Sierra, the smell of the pine trees, and watching our black lab jump in and out of the creek," Karla Moore said. "This year, I enjoyed that hike with our daughter-in-law, Ryan's wife, who has become a best friend and a major source of support during this time while both of our husbands are deployed. Every day I think of the things that Ryan and Patrick are missing."

Even though they are thousands of miles away in a foreign country, Karla Moore does take solace in the belief the father-son tandem may be making up for some lost time.

"I am thankful Ryan gets to be with his father; this allows them to have at least some time together," Karla Moore said. "Patrick missed out on large parts of Ryan's childhood due to deployments in Desert Storm, Kosovo and his first tour in Afghanistan. I think this is a way of giving Ryan a glimpse into that life.

"It will never give Ryan and Patrick those years back, but it offers a strong bond for the rest of their lives. I hope that neither will have to spend time away from family in the future, but if it happens, I know that both are proud to serve and we are a stronger family and country for their service."