When now-retired Army Col. Kirsten Brunson married her husband, Army Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, in 1993, she already knew that her new in-laws would understand her career choice. That’s because the Brunson family is chock-full of soldiers, with well over a combined 130 years of Army service.
“It is an incredible family to be a part of,” said Kirsten, the first Black woman to serve as an Army judge. “It says something that I served on active duty for almost 24 years, and I have the shortest career in the family.”
It all started with retired Sgt. Maj. Albert Brunson, Xavier’s father, who was drafted in 1965, fought in Vietnam and stayed in upon returning. Xavier was born at Womack Army Hospital in North Carolina and remembers his early life with “a backdrop of paratroopers and camouflage.”
“My father’s service is what inspired me to join the military. I saw the impact he had on those he served with and that the Army was like a family apart from a family for him,” said Xavier, now the Commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and United States Forces Korea at Camp Humphreys. “I never wanted to be anything other than a soldier because of what I saw my father doing.”
He and Kirsten met in Wildflecken, Germany, on an Army installation. Xavier’s younger twin brothers, Col. LaHavie “Havi” Brunson and Col. Tavi Brunson, also bleed Army green, joining in 1998. And just like when a niece enlisted, Xavier said the family still gets excited whenever another Brunson decides to join “the family business.”
“We celebrate promotions and awards,” he said. “It’s definitely not ‘ho-hum’; it’s a continuation of our family’s commitment and calling.”
Of course, an extended family ensconced in Army life means relatives are flung across the globe. But the stars align every once in a while, with various Brunsons doing their part to help with long-term care plans or even babysitting. At one point, all three Brunson brothers plus Kirsten were assigned to Fort Bragg at the same time.
“Their parents lived in Fayetteville so, for a couple of years, we all lived within a three-mile radius of each other,” said Kirsten, whose father also served in Vietnam like her father-in-law and was an Army Reservist. “That doesn’t normally happen in military families.”
Another thing that usually doesn’t take place for active-duty service members is having a military parent who remembers life before desegregation, including separate courthouse water fountains. But Albert’s service and experiences come up repeatedly for Xavier, who spent more than seven years deployed in combat to Iraq and Afghanistan. His family’s military service has also sharpened his appreciation for his mother, wife and other spouses who have dealt with frequent hardships.
After the Sept. 11 attacks, for example, Kirsten struggled to get to morning PT on time, thanks to stricter gate security and juggling the needs of their preschoolers. She briefly considered leaving the Army but her boss advised her to simply do PT on her own. The experience showed the couple the importance of present and communicative leaders who understand each soldier’s unique situation.
“We also got through by adhering to our core values: God, family then Army,” Xavier said. “We rely on family support and the belief that with faith and God’s will, we can get the job done.”
Kirsten, meanwhile, is grateful to be part of such a lasting legacy.
“[The Brunsons] are leaders, as in they regularly demonstrate loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage,” she said. “I am blessed to belong to this family.”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect that retired Col. Kirsten Brunson’s boss helped her work out a PT schedule that accommodated the family’s needs.
