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UP CLOSE<br />
Sisters pose triple threat at BCT<br />
By MIKE A. GLASCH<br />
<strong>Fort</strong> <strong>Jackson</strong> Leader<br />
When the Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry<br />
Regiment, graduate Basic Combat Training Friday, those<br />
in the reviewing stands might be doing a double take as the<br />
Soldiers march past. Make that a triple take; for Pvt. Zalusky,<br />
Pvt. Zalusky and Pvt. Zalusky.<br />
During the past two months, the triplets — Amanda,<br />
Julie and Rachel — have had to adjust to something they<br />
have not had to do their entire lives: being separated from<br />
each other.<br />
Having enlisted together, the Appleton, Wisc., natives<br />
were put into separate companies (Amanda — Company<br />
D, Julie — Company E and Rachel — Company F) once<br />
they finished in-processing at the 120th Adjutant General<br />
Battalion (Reception).<br />
Going from seeing and relying on each other every day<br />
to seeing each other once a week at church or just in passing<br />
was a struggle for them at first.<br />
“It was hard in the beginning,” said Julie. “Once we<br />
found out that we could write each other letters, as well, it<br />
was a little easier being separated.”<br />
Amanda and Rachel found the initial separation even<br />
harder.<br />
“I’m so close to Amanda with us being identical ... . I<br />
was very lonely at first,” Rachel said. “We expected to be<br />
separated but I thought would be able to see my sisters<br />
more.”<br />
“It was tough the first few days. I didn’t get to see<br />
Rachel at all,” Amanda said. “I wanted to know how (my<br />
sisters) were doing.”<br />
While the trio said the separation was hard the first few<br />
weeks of BCT, they also admitted it has helped them grow<br />
in ways they did not imagine.<br />
“It has forced me to be more independent,” said<br />
Amanda. “If they were around I would talk to them, but because<br />
I’m not around them, I end up talking to more people.”<br />
Photo by MIKE A. GLASCH<br />
From left, triplets Pvts. Amanda, Julie and Rachel Zalusky, 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment, are<br />
scheduled to graduate from Basic Combat Training Friday. The trio will also attend Advanced Individual<br />
Training together at <strong>Fort</strong> Lee, Va., to become food service specialists.<br />
“I think I’ve learned to do things on my own. It’s forced<br />
me to find new friends, battle buddies,” Rachel said. “I was<br />
surprised how well I was able to cope with being separated<br />
from my sisters, not being able to sleep near each other. I<br />
think later if we get shipped overseas it will help us that if<br />
we’re not together we won’t have such a hard time then.”<br />
Having triplets in the same battalion has also caused<br />
some confusion for the cadre.<br />
“I think now that we are close to graduating and the<br />
companies are more interactive with each other, the drill<br />
sergeants are getting a little more confused as to which one<br />
of us is which,” said Julie.<br />
“One of my drill sergeants walked up to Amanda and<br />
almost yelled at her for hanging out with Delta (company)<br />
because she thought Amanda was me,” Rachel said .<br />
The Zalusky’s time of confusing cadre will not end with<br />
graduation Friday. All three are off to <strong>Fort</strong> Lee, Va., for Advanced<br />
Individual Training as food service specialists before<br />
they return home to the same National Guard unit.<br />
Michael.A.Glasch@us.army.mil
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