Spc. Brittany Weaver (from left), Spc. Amber Weaver, Staff Sgt. Misty Madden, Johnny Madden, Sgt. Tim Dauk, Spc. Codi Madden, Spc. Cayce Madden, Master Sgt. John Madden

Seven of the eight members of this blended family are in uniform, six with the Indiana National Guard and one with the Army. There's patriarch Master Sgt. John Madden and three of his four sons, Sgt. Tim Dauk, Spc. Codi Madden and Spc. Cayce Madden. John Madden's wife is Staff Sgt. Misty Madden, whose two daughters are Spc. Amber Weaver and Spc. Brittany Weaver.

The military doesn't keep records on how many husband-wife teams or other family members are serving in uniform simultaneously, but it seems to be happening more frequently, said Maj. Lisa Kopczynski, public affairs officer at Camp Atterbury.

And in the Madden clan, it might happen again -- soon. Family member No. 8 is Madden's youngest son, Johnny, a 17-year-old high school junior.

His mom and dad promise -- and older siblings confirm -- that no one is demanding that Johnny join the military. Why, they even joke that he could choose any career, even the Air Force.

John Madden and his son Cayce served a year together in Iraq with the 38th Infantry's Military Police unit, returning in February.

Now it's Misty and Amber's turn. The mother and daughter are members of the 38th Infantry Division, which is shipping out this week to be part of Task Force Cyclone in Afghanistan. The unit's official departure ceremony was Tuesday at Camp Atterbury.

"I've worked around women my entire career in the military,'' John Madden said with pride. "I've got nothing but trust and confidence in them.''

The Madden patriarch, originally from Oklahoma, already was established in his military career when he met Misty, then a civilian with military aspirations, in the summer of 2002.

In August 2003, Misty joined the Indiana National Guard; in September 2003, she and John Madden were married.

John Madden's oldest, Tim Dauk, already was in uniform. After that, the kids just followed, one by one.

Amber Weaver said that as a kid, she always wanted to be an attorney. But then came Sept. 11, 2001. That, and her parents' examples, made an impact. She enlisted on Sept. 11, 2004, while a senior in high school. She spent one weekend a month during her senior year away on military drills.

"It was a domino effect, more or less,'' she said. "I think the reason the boys joined is they saw John, and what he was like," Misty Madden said, "and they wanted to be like him.''

Brittany Weaver, 20, said she wanted to be a paratrooper but then found out that's not an option for women in the Indiana National Guard. Undeterred, she joined anyway and serves as a cook. "They didn't pressure me to join or anything," she said. "I wanted to jump. Lots of kids from Danville went in."

Misty Madden already has experienced a deployment from the spouse-left-behind side, worrying about her husband and his son while they were gone for a year. And now, she'll find out what it's like from the other side when she is gone for her tour, although she'll have her daughter with her. She is confident in her training, believes in the mission and is unwavering about her commitment.

She and her husband have talked about the possibility of being deployed together, and they think that would be great. It has happened, Koczynski said, and spouses are even allowed to share quarters on deployments.

For now, Master Sgt. Madden is working in the inspector general's office at the Indiana National Guard headquarters and is ready to maintain the family base in Danville, complete with three dogs. He will be using advanced technology to stay in touch with his wife.

He saw his oldest son off on a deployment early in the war in Iraq and said he is no more anxious sending his wife and daughter off to a war zone.

They are trained, competent soldiers, he said. They also are serving with top-notch fellow soldiers -- more than a few of which are just like family.