Brothers in Arms

POLSON — Kellen Hoyt will be taking a big step this summer: the Polson junior will be joining the Montana National Guard and serving his country after graduating from high school. Joining the military means a lot will be demanded of Hoyt physically and mentally while in service of his country. However, if he has any questions, he’s got one incredible resource.

His brother Traven has already served out a deployment in Afghanistan as an infantryman in the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division, and he is currently stationed stateside.

For their mother, Eileen Evertz, it means that another son is going into the service and with that comes the stress of possibly being sent to hot spots and war zones around the world, It’s something that had become both familiar and unsettling for her.

“I’m proud of Kellen for doing it,” Eileen said. “I’m very proud of them, but it does wear on a mother’s heart. It’s hard to describe, nobody gets it unless you are a soldier’s mom. You basically trust that the government will take care of your child.”

Kellen, who decided to join the military because he felt that the discipline required would have a positive impact on his life, had to make one provision for his mom.

“I wanted to join the infantry but my mom wouldn’t let me,” Kellen said.

Eileen has good reason, since the family was on pins and needles when Traven was on the front lines of the conflict in Afghanistan. The Polson graduate made patrols and was directly combating insurgents during his deployment at Forward Operating Base Shank.

Instead, Kellen has made the decision to join the military police, a specialization that will give him skills he can use once he gets out of the service. His late father, Chris Hoyt, was a Montana State Trooper. Chris tragically drowned in an irrigation canal in 2009.

“I’m proud of my younger brother for joining it,” Traven said of the military. “I really think it will do him some good and I’m glad he chose a job that will give him skills to use outside of the military.”

However, the one inevitable problem with military service is that soldiers have to be away from their family for extended periods of time. Eileen knows that she’ll be seeing Kellen less as he makes the next step in life.

“With Traven, we’ve probably seen him just four or five times in a year and a half,” Eileen said. “However, you always find ways to see your child.”

When his mother got married this summer, Traven was awake in the early, early morning to watch the ceremony from Afghanistan via Skype. While he is currently back in the United States, serving at Fort Polk in Louisiana, Traven is still a ways away from home.

Kellen was the opening day pitcher for the Mission Valley Mariners this past weekend, but he will be leaving the team early for his military obligations, and that will be something of a shock for Eileen.

“I’ve been watching him play baseball since he was 5,” she said. “It will just be weird, but it will be OK.”

Kellen will serve for eight years and six of those years will be active duty. When he’s in reserve role he will serve one weekend a month and two weeks during the summer.

“I still get yelled at a lot,” Kellen said. “The training is exactly the same (for everyone) and I could be going to basic with guys that are going to be Army Rangers someday.”

Traven had one piece of advice for his brother when the two were talking about serving in the military.

“I didn’t talk to him about it until I signed and he told me to stop worrying so much,” Kellen said.

Traven has over a year left in his current stint with the military and is taking Advanced Individual Training (AIT) to become an elite solider.

“I currently have been moved to a scout sniper program and, depending on where the next deployment is, I may extend for it,” Traven said. “But after that I’m getting out and continuing my education.”

Kellen too can use his service to further his college education. He will get a heavy dose of military experience while in boot camp this summer and be back in Polson for his senior year of high school,

“That’s going to be a bit weird,” he said. “I’m going to be used to calling everybody ‘drill sergeant.’”

As with any major change in life, the toughest part is not knowing what’s coming up ahead of you. Luckily, Kellen has a brother that will let him know about the next steps in his new life as a military solider.

And that’s half the battle.