One in a million: Twin sisters serving together at Travis AFB Published Sept. 8, 2025 By Staff Sgt. Scott Warner 621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Family members serving simultaneously in the military is rare, but even more uncommon is two siblings, twins, serving together in the same active-duty branch, with the same rank, at the same base. At Travis Air Force Base, California, this rarity became a reality for Capt. Chloe Forlini and Capt. Lily Romine. “Our military story started when our grandfather graduated West Point in 1956 and served more than 30 years in the U.S. Army,” Forlini, 60th Healthcare Operations Squadron family medicine physician said. “His character and values planted the desirability of military service in our heads at a young age. Then Coach Gidley, the tennis coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), spoke about recruiting us to play on the team and become U.S. Air Force cadets, that’s when our interest was truly sparked.” Back in 2013, the twins, fraternal sisters, were invited to attend a summer seminar to learn more about the academy, and after returning home from their recruiting trip, they were both convinced that active-duty military service was the direction they wanted to take. “We realized that playing tennis at U.S. Air Force Academy was more than just being a part of a collegiate sports team, but rather we were building lifelong skills of leadership and resiliency,” Forlini said. “I think that is when we realized that a career in the U.S. Air Force would continue to foster these skills. We were excited about the prospect of being surrounded by like-minded people while serving our country in different capacities, too.” According to USAFA’s website, “[Cadets] come for the education. Stay for the experience. [Where they] become leaders, innovators, warriors and wingmen, ready to service in the world’s greatest air and space forces.” “We have so many fond memories of the U.S. Air Force already, most of which stems from attending the academy together,” Romine, 821st Contingency Response Support Squadron Director of Operations said. “From team tennis trips and playing doubles together, to going through the Summer Evasion Program during our freshman summer.” Although they graduated USAFA at the same time in 2017, their USAF careers took them immediately in opposite directions as Forlini had to go to medical school in order to become a physician while Romine started her career as a second lieutenant in pilot training at Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Texas. “While I was continuing my education at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, it marked the first time I have ever lived somewhere separately from my sister,” Forlini said. “After graduating USUHS, I went to Eglin AFB to complete my family medicine residency as Lily graduated pilot school and was heading to Travis AFB. Then, by some miracle of fate, a faculty position for a physician opened at Travis AFB and I got it!” That is when Romine shared something truly rare and unique. “I think our fondest memory together was when Chloe was able to deliver my son, Rush, last year!” Romine said. “Chloe delivering my son was the truly the most incredible and special moment for two sisters to share and something that we will cherish forever.” Forlini agreed and reminisced how grateful she was for the experience leading her to this moment. “I love being with and around my sister, and I remember when we arrived at basic cadet training in 2013, we were placed into separate flights and squadrons. I think that was the first time we ever went our separate ways on in-processing day and didn’t know the next time we would see each other again,” Forlini said. Forlini added that it was about three to four days into basic training before she saw her sister again. “I remember I was marching with my flight on the terrazzo and heard a cough that sounded like Lily. Against expected marching standards, I whipped my head around to see Lily’s flight marching behind us and she had seen me and thought that if she coughed I may be able to recognize it,” Forlini said. “We both smiled so big and although we broke military bearing in that moment, it gave us the strength we needed to keep going and I’m glad we did.” As they were reminiscing, they remembered another time they were separated and reunited. “In 2020, Lily was on a C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft mission, and at the time, I was still in medical school and doing a four-week interview rotation at Eglin AFB,” Forlini said. “Lily got notified…that her mission got recut to Eglin AFB and would be landing in two days and would be there for 36 hours. We were ecstatic to say the least! I remember waiting at the airfield for her arrival, and the next 36 hours were spent going to the beach with her crew and exploring the town together.” Now both sisters cherish their time together knowing their careers might take them in a different direction again someday. U.S. Air Force Capt. Lily Romine, left, 821st Contingency Response Support Squadron director of operations, and Capt. Chloe Forlini, 60th Healthcare Operations Squadron family medicine physician, right, pose for a photo together at Travis Air Force Base, California, August 8, 2025. Romine and Forlini are twin sisters who both attended the U.S. Air Force Academy and were both stationed at Travis AFB together. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Warner) “We both love our families and our time together, especially over the holidays,” Romine said. “We love to be competitive with each other and compete in any and all sports together and against each other, including, tennis, pickleball, golf, ping-pong, you name it! We also majored in the same thing at USAFA, which was biology with a French minor.” According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, the birthrate for twins is 30.7 per 1,000 births, which is about 3%. Factor in that Department of Defense’s Defense Manpower Data Center states that less 1% of the American population serve in the military makes the odds of seeing a twin sisters’ situation of serving in the same branch, at the same base and time as active-duty captains to be far less than 1%. Ultimately, this story serves as a reminder that despite the odds, that anything can happen, and getting to spend time with a loved one everyday is ultimately a gift and a blessing in itself. 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