TWO brothers stationed at a Suffolk Army base are serving together in Afghanistan for the first time.

Staff sergeant Ray Neenan, 29, and 21-year-old Corporal Darren Neenan are currently on operations at Camp Bastion in Helmand province.

The brothers – who serve with 654 Squadron Army Air Corps, whose home is at Wattisham Airfield – both service the regiment’s Apache helicopter gunships.

And because of their ranks, Cpl Neenan has to answer to his older brother.

“Having Ray as a boss is OK,” he said. “Some of the guys have asked me to approach him to see if we can get an easier time, but I’m too professional for that.”

He added: “There’s light-hearted banter about having a big brother watching over.”

Sgt Neenan said: “This is the most time we’ve spent together by a country mile.

“I’ve been keeping an eye out for him;.

“We’re getting to know each other a lot better.”

The two brothers are from Chatham in Kent.