Pfc. Lane Higson and Pfc. Casey Higson, identical twins serving in Iraq with the Enhanced Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. The twins, natives of Myrtle Beach, S.C., joined the Army together and have not separated since. Photo by Spc. Roland Hale

Shortly after identical twins Pfc. Lane Higson and Pfc. Casey Higson arrived at Fort Riley, Kan., this spring, they went to war.

The twins, natives of Myrtle Beach, S.C., joined the Army just over a year ago using a “buddy system” option, and together made it through several grueling months of training. They arrived at Fort Riley in March hoping to catch a break after nearly a year of training, but the Army had different plans. Their unit, the Enhanced Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, was deploying to Iraq, and the twins were quickly processed, trained, equipped, and on their way.

Looking back after nearly nine months of deployment, the 28-year-old twins, (in twin-like unison), said that they never expected to be in Iraq, or the military for that matter.

“We do everything together, obviously, and we’ve done lots, but we never thought we’d be doing this,” said Lane.

Before they enlisted, Lane and Casey graduated from East Carolina University with bachelor’s degrees in psychology. They returned to Myrtle Beach looking for work, and after two years of working odd jobs, decided to give the Army a shot.

“In college you couldn’t get us anywhere near a recruiter, ROTC, or anything like that,” said Lane, “but after a few years, we started to get interested in the possibility of joining.”

“We thought we could join the Army in a mental health related field and help out the troops coming home with issues like PTSD,” said Casey.

No positions were available, however, and the twins enlisted as communications specialists – not quite their first choice, but they figured that after spending a few years among the enlisted ranks they could transfer to the mental health field with a little front line experience.

They have still managed to get some psychology related work in between their normal duties though. Both sisters have taken turns working at the Taji Warrior Resiliency Campus, a facility on Camp Taji designed to provide deployed troops with access to mental health support and other tools to build their morale and welfare.

“We’re very lucky to get to work here,” said Casey. “We get to help people, sometimes if it’s just by talking to them.”

Some peers in their unit have named Lane and Casey the “double trouble,” which fits, they said, because they are “like one mind in two bodies.” The twins’ similarity doesn’t end at their uncanny resemblance, they said. Lane and Casey earn the same Army physical fitness test score, eat the same food, read the same books, and use the same words.

“Being twins is fun, and it’s normal for us, we’ve been sisters our whole lives,” said Casey. “I think that being in the Army, and especially being in Iraq, has brought us even closer than we were before.”

The Higsons are scheduled to return to Fort Riley this March at the end of their unit’s tour. They will have a reunion of sorts before that, however, when they meet their mother in Hawaii for mid-tour leave.

Story by Spc. Roland Hale
DVIDS

Ashely and Tasha’s mother sends the the following from May 10:

I am OK!

Just wanted everyone to hear my story before it gets blown way out of proportion.
Yes…I did get hit with a roadside bomb (IED)
Yes…I am ok. I only have a few little cuts and bruises
Yes…I do have some hearing loss in my right ear
No…I did not do combat rolls out of the truck while still moving
No…I did not hit it on purpose (i didn’t see it till last sec)
Yes…My truck did catch on fire immediately after the detonation

The IED was called a pressure plate…a thing where once there is weight put on it, it will cause it to detonate. My driver and I saw a little pot hole in the road at the last second. My driver swerved to the left to miss it and we both saw something black in it. I was about to call it up on the radio but my side front tire hit it. The IED went off under me, which is where the fuel tanks are.

The truck immediately caught on fire and we could not see through the windshield due to the flames and smoke. I told my driver to stop the vehicle. He was having a hard time to get it to stop…it is a very big truck and going 45 mph will take some time until a dead stop. I didn’t think the truck was gonna stop but as I was about to tell my driver to bail, he brought it to a stop.

I told him that there was no way I could get out on my side because my side was the side on fire. He jumped out and I was almost right behind him when I got caught on something in the truck. I tried to get my weapon but couldn’t tell where it was through all of the smoke. I continued to free myself from the cooler that was in the back seat. Just as I was about to climb to the front to get out, I got caught on my head set. I couldn’t find the cord to unplug it so I struggled with it to get it off.

This whole time my driver was yelling for me because he realized that I was not out of the truck. I finally got untangled and bailed out the driver door. As I jumped out I saw a post sticking up and I could have sworn I was gonna land on it. Thank God I didn’t.

I fell to the ground…it is a long drop. When I got up the truck totally burst into flames. I ran to the guntruck and got in. We then watched the truck burn for about twenty minutes before we left the scene. All of my stuff was in it. I have nothing. All I have is a couple of uniforms and some civilian clothes waiting for me back at base. I dont even have a weapon right now.

That all happened after 2 am. I got word around 7 am that the truck was still in flames. It will be on fire for a while. Eventually someone will pick it up and bring it back to base.

Everyone was ok and I am ready for another mission.
-tasha

More about Tasha and her twin sister, Ashley:
Our Best: Babe Edition TWINS!
Help Our Deployed Soldiers
Interview With Ashley and Tasha