QUINCY, Ill. - As the Mississippi River widens the span between Missouri and Illinois, the flood waters actually brought two brothers together for the first time in their professional military careers.
Staff Sgt. Allen Kanell, 33, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Capt. Jeffrey C. Kanell, 26, of Davenport, Iowa, are both serving along the upper Mississippi as part of the Illinois and Missouri National Guards' flood responses. Last week, on a bridge that spans the Mississippi between Quincy, Ill., and West Quincy, Mo., the brothers met for the first time since being activated.
"I'm tickled to be working in such close proximity to my brother for the first time since joining the Army," Allen said.
Jeffrey, commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery based in Milan, Ill., was originally mobilized as a liaison officer. He eventually took command of more than 100 troops from his unit, also called up to fight the flooding Mississippi River.
"I had anticipated being called up for flood duty because some of the guys I work with from Iowa had been called up," said Kanell, who works as a maintenance manager for the Rock Island Arsenal, Distribution Management Center with the Army Sustainment Command. "The only concern I really had was not knowing how long I would be away from my Family."
As river levels continued to rise, more than 1,200 members of the Illinois Army and Air National Guard were called up to work on the levees.
After being activated, Kanell called his brother Allen, who serves with the Missouri Guard's Detachment 1, 735th Quartermaster Company in Poplar Bluff, to let him know he was on flood duty. Less than 24 hours later, Allen and his unit were activated by the Missouri Guard.
Initially, the 735th provided security, filled and transported sandbags, and monitored levees.
The brothers have spoken periodically throughout the operation, sharing what they are doing on opposite sides of the river. The exchange has given them a better idea of the overall flood response.
"If the Illinois side has a levee breach, then we can expect the Missouri side of the river water level to drop and some of the pressure to be taken off this side," Allen said.
On opposite sides of the river, the brothers are working to maintain the levees and protect the population from the rising flood water.
Allen said he and his brother grew up in Poplar Bluff, but took different paths. Allen joined the Army directly out of high school and served on active duty. When Jeffrey finished his education, he joined the Army. The brothers decided to return to the Midwest and join to Guard so they would have more time to spend with their Families.
The meeting on the river had a special significance for the brothers. It was one of the few opportunities they've had to see each other since Allen came home after an eight-month Iraq deployment.
"It was a great feeling to get to see Allen; I haven't been able to spend much time with him since his return from Iraq," said Jeffrey Kanell. "It's good to know that he and his men are working just as hard on the other side of the river as we are on this side to try and prevent their area of responsibility from flooding."