Face of Defense: Seeing Double

By Air Force Airman 1st Class Alexa Ann Henderson 36th Wing

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam, September 9, 2015 — Driving through the gates at Andersen Air Force Base, someone could easily mistake the two airmen that stand guard there, and it’s easy to see why.

Though not identical, they could almost be the same person, but one has longer hair. They have the same Washington state accent, stand at about the same height with little difference in their features and they bear the same name on their vests.

U.S. Air Force Airmen 1st Class Colby and Travis Wakefield are fraternal twins who also are 36th Security Forces Squadron entry controllers.

Although Andersen is their first duty station, this is not the first time the Wakefields have served together since beginning their military careers.

Travis and Colby both signed up for security forces and left for basic training on the same day after asking if they could go together. After arriving at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, for basic military training, they found out they were in the same flight. Together, they graduated and became airmen.

Once they reached technical training, they found a way to become roommates. However, this is not where their camaraderie was destined to end.

"After we had been at tech school for a week or so, we decided to look and see where we were going to be stationed," Colby said. "I looked first, and it said Andersen Air Force Base. My brother decided to look next, and it also said Andersen. We don't know how, but we got stationed together."

The brothers graduated technical training and went home before reporting to their first duty station.

"It was easier to come here, because I had my brother with me," Colby said. "We were going through the same thing."

After spending the first 18 years of their lives with each other, the brothers arrived here in April 2014 to perform the same job within the same squadron.

The brothers currently share the same work schedule, so their days off often coincide.

"We spend a lot of our off time doing the same things," Travis said. "We play golf and other sports with our squadron. We grew up playing a lot of the same sports. We pretty much do everything together."

Having two airmen who look very similar and share a last name can be confusing, so they were given nicknames.

"We call Colby 'Regular Wakefield' and Travis 'Baby Wakefield,' because they were born one minute apart," said Tech. Sgt. Alicia Goetschel, the 36th SFS flight chief.

The twins are soon due to find out where they’ll be assigned when they return from overseas, but they hope it won't be the end of them working together.

"We were told there's a possibility we could be kept together until we reach [higher ranks]," Colby said.

They both agreed that joining the Air Force was one of the best decisions of their life, and they hope to continue their careers together wherever the Air Force may take them.

The Wakefields also have an older sister, a mother and father who live in Washington.

"Every time I call them on the phone to see how they’re doing, they always tell me the same thing," said the twin's mother. "They tell me how happy they are with joining the Air Force and how they are so proud to see just how far they have come."

The twins aren't the only ones who have pride in what they are doing, though.

"It's been a blessing to have them stay together," the mother said. "It's also comforting to us, too; I always find out what's going on from one of the boys. We are so proud of them and all that they have accomplished."