Some News:
Afghan and US forces repelled coordinated Taliban assaults in two major cities in eastern Afghanistan. Suicide bombers armed with rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles attacked government installations and a US base in the cities of Gardez and Jalalabad. Eight Taliban fighters and six Afghan security personnel were reported killed in the failed attacks. In Gardez in Paktia province, six suicide bombers, some wearing the full-length burkas worn by Afghan women, attacked government buildings, including the provincial intelligence office, but were gunned down as they attempted to storm the buildings. ( Bill Riggio)
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Pennsylvania Brothers Provide Support From Above
Majs. William and Richard Bartolomea pose in front of a AH-1W Super Cobra, June 12. This is the first time the brothers have been deployed together. Photo by Lance Cpl. Samuel Nasso
Story by Lance Cpl. Samuel Nasso Marine Air Group 40
Date: 07.23.2009
CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan
Maj. Richard ‘Bart’ Bartolomea feels at home serving with his brother Bill in a operational environment.
“It’s awesome,” said Bart. “I brought the board games but haven’t had the chance to break them out yet.”
The officer-in-charge of the Scan Eagle detachment from Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron-2, Marine Aircraft Group 40, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, Bart was commissioned a Marine officer after earning a bachelor’s degree at Pennsylvania State University in 1994.
Bill, known as “Chakka,” is the director of the department of safety standardization for Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron-169. He also earned a degree from Penn State, but he graduated in 1995.
Before it all started, the brothers aspired to be professional athletes, like a lot of kids. However, once high school rolled around, Bart had aircraft posters covering his walls and became interested in aviation.
“When I was in high school, ‘Top Gun’ came out and I imagined what it would be like to be a pilot,” said Bart.
The military already had a prominent role in the Bartolomea family. Their father, Richard Bartolomea, and their uncle, James Craft, joined the Marine Corps in 1967. Even though Craft wasn’t related to the family at the time, he was a significant influence in why the boys joined the Marine Corps.
“Uncle Jim went to college with our father and encouraged him to join the Corps with him,” said Bart, whose father was an infantry officer in Vietnam. “Twenty-six years later, our father retired as a lieutenant colonel, and here we are now in Afghanistan.”
So when the time eventually came, the decision to join wasn’t too difficult.
“After growing up in Quantico and observing my dad and his friends when I was younger, it was an easy decision when I actually thought about it,” said Bill.
“Bill actually knew what he wanted to do,” said Bart. “He didn’t join because I did; he was enrolled in the Reserve Officers Training Course at Penn State for a while.”
With their father working at Penn State as the director of sports camp and managing the ROTC program, it seemed military service was inevitable.
“After I got my degree I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do so I went and talked to my father,” said Bart. “I told him I didn’t really want to pursue journalism and I wanted to go to law school. He told me that I would have to pay for it so that was out of the question. Then he asked me if I ever thought about the Marine Corps.”
Both brothers were not only commissioned as Marine Corps officers, they both became pilots.
Bill started flying AH-1W Super Cobras in 1997, and Bart started flying CH-53Ds in the same year. Bart eventually transitioned into flying Cobras 10 years later and transitioned again to fly Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
“Flying UAVs is neat, but after flying a Cobra there’s nothing really like it,” said Bart. With different billets but the same line of work, it was just a matter of time until they encountered each other in the fleet.
“It is really cool,” said Bart. “One day I was watching a few Cobras complete a mission with our UAVs and later that day I asked my brother if he was flying. He said he was and I told him I watched him with our UAVs. Even though I am not flying Cobras at the moment, I still get to operate with my UAVs and watch my brother fly his Cobra.”
This is Bart’s first deployment and Bill’s fifth. When it comes down to it, the brothers are here to complete their duties as Marines.
“The reason why I am here is to provide air support for the grounds guys,” said Bill. “Whether you’re a grunt or with (Combat Logistics Battalion) or whatever, our mission is the same: to provide air support for all of our Marines.”
The brothers are happy to be deployed at the same time and their families fully support them.
“Our mother was a Marine Corps wife for a while and she helps my wife and Bart’s wife when they need anything,” said Bill.
Although they may not be working side by side, the ‘Bart Brothers’ patrol the Helmand skies, flying topcover for MEB-Afghanistan’s soldiers below supporting the local population to be freed from intimidation and aggression of insurgents.