Twin brothers embrace double vision at ARPC, help with mission

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Rob Hazelett
  • Air Reserve Personnel Center Public Affairs
BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  Members at the Air Reserve Personnel Center have been seeing double since Senior Airmen Evan and Adam Van Horn were assigned here. Although the twins are fraternal, it's difficult to tell them apart.

Their journey began in May 2014 when Evan began working as a points management agent on Reserve Personnel Appropriation orders here. Evan shared the news about the opportunity with Adam, who also applied and began working here June 2 as a recognition agent.

"Due in large part to our Human Capital Transformation effort, ARPC has inherited a number of new responsibilities that did not come with associated manpower billets. ARPC uses RPA orders to bring in reservists who can assist with this new workload," said Col. Carolyn Stickell, individual mobilization augmentee to the vice commander. "Since these reservists are called to active duty via RPA orders, they are nicknamed RPAers ."

In order to accomplish the mission, ARPC currently has about 74 RPAers filling the gaps until there is a permanent manpower solution. RPAers sit in almost every section of ARPC, contributing to the mission side-by-side with their civilian,contractor, active duty, Guard and Reserve counterparts providing a seamless, total-force customer service solution.

Meanwhile, it's taken a little while for some of the twins' colleagues to grasp there was more than one Van Horn in the center .

"At first I couldn't tell them apart, especially if they were in their flight suits," said Staff Sgt. Diaydra Gardner, ARPC recognitions agent, who has worked with Adam for one week.

Staff Sgt. Giovanna Capili, ARPC recognitions agent, said she has also done a double take.

"I thought they were the same person, until somebody mentioned there were two of them," she said.

Although the Van Horn twins say they don't look much alike, they admitted a lot of people have trouble telling them apart.

"People get us mixed up all the time," said Evan, who is the oldest brother by one minute. "I couldn't count the number of times I've been approached by people who think I'm Adam."

"During load school, military training leaders thought Evan was me when I left a school location to start another course," said Adam, a three-year Air Force veteran who enlisted one day after his brother.

This isn't the first time the brothers, who are C-130 Loadmasters as traditional reservists, have been assigned together.

In their assignment with the 731st Airlift Squadron at Peterson AFB, Colorado, they said even though they worked under the same roof, they never physically flew together due to regulations on relatives working together in flight.

"It seems the older we get, the more we are finding our own identities," Evan said as he described what it was like to work here with his brother and what they bring to the center. "For me, it's just another day in the life of being a Van Horn twin. Our collaboration is great; we bring our own perspectives to each other and work together so well as a team that we could get anything done better and faster than any other pair."

Adam included his thoughts about working with his brother.

"Honestly, it's business as usual. We have always been in each other's footsteps," said Adam, who added what he liked most about working with his brother: "He's the one that takes more risks. If there is something I want to do but it seems too challenging, he'll do it first and pave the way for me."

The twins don't hesitate when it comes to sharing their hobbies and goals.

Adam looks forward to furthering his education with the Post-9/11 GI Bill. He plans to enroll in courses to obtain his associate's degree through the Community College of the Air Force, then pursue his bachelor's degree. In his spare time, he likes to hike and play Xbox.

"Since coming here, physical fitness has also become an important part of my life. I've been running a couple miles a day at least four times a week," said Evan, who's an avid Denver Broncos fan. "My goal is to be the best person I can possibly be, whether that means education, career, relationships or health. I just want to always be able to look in the mirror and be proud of who I am."

As the Van Horn twins strive to create their own individuality, they realize others around them may find it hard to tell them apart. However, they've grown accustomed to it, and know it's just a matter of time before their colleagues' double vision wears off.