Airborne twins: Brothers born two minutes apart jump together during major wargames
"He looks after me a bit" – so says Onni Hack, a 25-year-old Royal Engineer whose twin brother Tom has been helping him prepare for a major parachute jump, due to take place the following morning.
Tom is the elder of the two, but only by a couple of minutes.
He also earned his maroon beret first, making him a useful veteran to have around on occasions like this – even if it's just showing Onni the ropes on how to pack his kit properly.
Onni joined the British Army ahead of Tom, but when his twin joined 3 Para and passed P Company, Onni decided he wanted to wear the maroon beret too.
He pivoted his career from standard combat engineering to the airborne ranks of 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment.
'I wanted a piece of it'
"I went to his passing out parade and decided I wanted a piece of it. It gave me the inspiration," Onni says.
Tom joined the Paras in 2021 because the training "looked hard".
When Onni followed in his footsteps, he took a close interest in the progress of his brother – a fraternal instinct that hasn't left him.
The following morning, when they jumped, it was the first time the pair had served side-by-side since they enlisted in the Army.
It meant back home in Horndean, near Portsmouth, two very proud parents were waiting for updates.
"Because he did it first, they knew how big of a deal it was. So,when I passed [P Coy], they were so proud," Onni says.
'We're around good blokes'
Like any siblings in uniform, there is always the chance both could be deployed on operations at the same time.
While that brings inevitable risks, Onni says serving within 16 Air Assault Brigade helps manage any worries lingering at the back of his mind.
"It's hard to reflect, but it's nice knowing that we're in the elite regiments of our respective units," he says.
"I'm in the elite Engineer regiment and obviously, he's 3 Para so he's like spearhead of the conventional force.
"We've got that comfort knowing that we're around good blokes."
Banter 'sometimes gets exhausting' – Tom
The pair are cool operators and clearly thrive in their respective airborne roles.
Amid the banter over whose kit is packed better and who can run faster – Tom clocks a brisk 6:09 for the 1.2-mile run to Onni's 6:23, a rivalry Tom admits can get exhausting – there is an edge that makes both men better soldiers.
Many soldiers speak of brothers in arms.
For Tom and Onni, the bond is literal.
Whatever direction their airborne careers take, their maroon berets are only part of the story – the rest of it is blood, and nothing is stronger.
Tom and Onni are jumping on Exercise Rhino Titan. Read our full feature from the exercise here.
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