A family reunion in the desert

2010-07-12

By Trey Alverson

Capt. Chris Dardis and Maj. Patrick Dardis in Iraq (special photo)

When Patrick W. Dardis graduated from Fayette County High School in 1996, his little brother Christopher was just 11 years old.

Patrick went on to Georgia Southern University on an Army ROTC scholarship and became an Army helicopter pilot. Christopher, a 2003 Fayette County High grad, eventually followed in his brother's footsteps, attending Georgia Southern and graduating into the Army's flight officer training program.

Now, the two brothers are as close geographically as they've been in almost 15 years. Both are stationed in Iraq, flying Army Blackhawk helicopters.

On June 20, 1st Lt. Christopher Dardis flew across the Iraqi desert, picked up his big brother Maj. Patrick W. Dardis and returned to his forward operating base. There, Patrick pinned Captain bars on his recently promoted no-longer-so-little brother.

"Since Patrick graduated from high school, they've been at least 200 miles apart until now," explained Pat Dardis, the proud Fayetteville father of the aviators brothers.

"They used to torment each other growing up. I really got emotional when Patrick told me about the ceremony. He said he'd never been prouder of his little brother than when he promoted him to Captain."

Pat Dardis, himself a retired Army aviator, last saw his youngest and oldest son together in September of last year. Maj. Patrick W. Dardis is on his third tour in Iraq. Capt. Christopher Dardis is in the middle of his first combat tour.

"When Christopher asked his command about the possibility of having his older brother promote him, they got on board right away," Pat Dardis said.

"Patrick said he now knows what it's like to be a General. Christopher's command treated him extremely well."

Maj. Dardis is deployed with the 1st Armored Division out of Wiesbaden, Germany. Capt. Dardis is a pilot in the 1st Infantry Division out of Ft. Riley, Kansas.

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