FORT KNOX, Ky. –
Although twin brothers Jacob and Jacoi Frett grew up doing everything together, the two have found individual success in their most recent Army jobs, recruiting young men and women into the Army. In their hometown of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, their only exposure to the military as children was their father, who enlisted in the Army in 1958 and retired before they were born. Now they both serve as staff sergeants in the Army, assigned under the same brigade within U.S. Army Recruiting Command but placed in different cities.
The brothers’ childhood on the 32-square-mile island felt normal, filled with family and opportunities to play sports like basketball while growing up. But as they got older, the twins felt as though they were just making it through life.
“Growing up on the island is really different,” Jacob Frett said. “Everyone knows everyone.”
Their older brother enlisted in the Marines and encouraged them to join him in serving their country, but at 18, the military lifestyle was not yet appealing to them.
“Our older brother had joined the military at 20,” said Jacoi “He encouraged us to look into the Army because of the family aspects of it.”
At age 24, they had completed some college, didn’t yet have a career they were passionate about and were looking for an avenue to better their lives. Together, Jacob and Jacoi went into the St. Thomas Army Recruiting Station and enlisted.
The pair initially planned to enlist under the same Military Occupational Specialty through the Buddy Program, preferably with an MOS in information technology. Due to different test scores, they both would have had to either both change their desired jobs or select different jobs to continue on their Army journey.
Jacob joined as a 91P Artillery Mechanic and Jacoi as a 25H Multichannel Transmission Systems Operator-Maintainer. After swearing in side-by-side, the twins separated for the first time in their lives as they shipped off to basic training a week apart.
“It was a great choice, and I regret not enlisting at 18,” said Jacob Frett.
Jacob’s journey in the Army as an artillery mechanic felt natural to him. Their father, during his time in the Army, was a mechanic, and Jacob took naturally to the profession and found success in his career. Jacoi, having followed the path the brothers initially hoped for, found joy in his career as a multichannel transmission systems operator.
“It might not be everyone’s first choice at an MOS, but I really enjoy what I do,” said Jacoi Frett. “I enjoyed going in to work every day.”
When the time came for the brothers to decide if they would re-enlist, Jacob and Jacoi chose to continue their journey together. Selecting Fort Hood as their next duty station, the brothers were reunited. Jacob and Jacoi received their promotion to staff sergeant months apart and were able to pin each other at their respective promotion ceremonies.
In 2023, Jacob received his orders to serve as a Recruiter. Three months later, Jacoi was also selected to serve as a Recruiter. For the first time since they enlisted, the brothers were on the same track within the Army.
“I grew up with this guy my whole life, side by side,” said Jacoi Frett. “Everything I’ve done, whether it’s been summer camp or being in the Army, he’s always done it with me.”
While the Frett brothers now have the same military job in the same state, their areas of operation are in different recruiting markets – Jacob in San Antonio, Texas, a city with a large military presence, and Jacoi in Lubbock, Texas, a community where Recruiters might be the only service members the community sees on a regular basis.
“When people see me in uniform, they will come up and ask if I’m coming home from the war,” said Jacoi. “I tell them I’m stationed here because I’m a Recruiter.”
Although the two serve in very different areas, they have both found success within their new occupation as recruiters.
In San Antonio, Jacob’s found success by being a reliable and relatable recruiter. Jacob states that, at the end of the day, he is just a “regular dude” who likes video games and working out. Jacoi attributes his successes in Lubbock to his community-centered approach, stating the important thing to being successful as a recruiter is being active in the community.
After recruiting a combined 31 future Soldiers this fiscal year, the brothers continue to work hard at finding success as recruiters and sharing the benefits that the Army gave them.