“The Lowe Bros”: Identical Twins At Rival Academies

Jacob and Joshua Lowe are identical twins who grew up in California. Their parents, Dave and Jennifer, work for Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ), first at UC Davis and now in Mission Viejo. Jacob and Josh grew up very active and played a lot of sports, eventually developing a passion for cross-country. Their grandfather, who was commissioned through OCS (Officer Candidate School) and served in the Navy during the Vietnam War was a source of inspiration in their lives. A healthy competitiveness pushed them each to excel in many academic and physical endeavors, and this connection keeps them inspired even though they are now at separate academies. An influential teacher in high school, whose son had graduated from West Point, inspired them to apply to the academies (they eventually applied to West Point, Annapolis, Air Force, and Coast Guard). Her mentorship paved the way for them to receive several nominations. Both attended the Summer Leader Experience at West Point. Their intention was to attend the same academy, but their goals for the future caused them to go separate ways (Josh figured they’d have to separate eventually). Jacob chose the United States Naval Academy, and Josh picked the United States Military Academy. Jacob was dropped off first for I-Day and Joshua reported a week later for R-Day. During their first summer training (Beast or Plebe Summer), they frequently wrote letters to each other. They both felt that being apart Plebe (freshman) year was difficult, but they developed new friendships and grew as individuals. During their Plebe year, the COVID-19 pandemic began and they were both at home on spring break, where they remained until recalled to their respective academies. They have both done well academically, with Jacob choosing to major in Robotics Engineering and Josh selecting Economics. This year, the brothers have been reunited because Jacob applied for the semester exchange program, studying at West Point during the first semester of Academic Year 2022, and they have both enjoyed the reunion. Jacob tried to get the most out of his time at West Point, even joining his company’s Sandhurst team. In this interview, the Lowe brothers talk about their childhood, applying for a service academy, and their experiences at USMA and USNA. They highlight their brotherly competitiveness, and share how being apart has been a difficult but developmental part of their growth experience. Finally, they reflect on what Annapolis and West Point mean to them.