For Sgt. 1st Class Tresa Allemang, serving in the U.S. Army has always been more than just a career – it’s a family legacy. Now, that legacy continues in Kosovo, where she is deployed alongside her son, Cpl. Aiden Stackhouse, as part of the NATO-led KFOR mission.

Allemang’s story of service began at just 17 years old, when she enlisted while still in high school. After briefly leaving the Army to raise her son, she rejoined at 25 and later deployed to Iraq in 2010 with the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT).

Back then, her young son Aiden would climb into her rucksack, hoping to go with her. As he grew up, his fascination with military life only deepened – from watching soldiers rappel out of helicopters to wearing a child-sized uniform at recruiting events. His childhood drawings were filled with soldiers, tanks, and helicopters, already mapping his future.

Years later, one of Allemang’s former recruits would be the one to enlist Aiden into the Army. Today, Cpl. Stackhouse is a combat medic, eager to put his training into practice. When a deployment slot opened with the 256th IBCT, Allemang made sure her son got the opportunity. Shortly after, she was offered one too – and accepted without hesitation.

Now, stationed in Kosovo, the mother-son duo is living out a dream that began in childhood. “I like to joke that Aiden climbed into my rucksack when he was three,” Allemang said. “This time, I climbed into his.”

Though serving in different parts of the country, Allemang says she often feels like the roles are reversed – watching her son with admiration, just as he once watched her. For them, this mission is more than service: it’s a shared story of dedication, sacrifice, and family pride in uniform.