Military Brother Surprises Sibling In JROTC Class

A high school junior was left teary-eyed when his military brother returned home to surprise him after six months during Army JROTC Cadet class. Dylan Tilton, 16, had just recited the Army Junior ROTC Cadet Creed at Wareham High School in Massachusetts, when his brother and best friend Colby, 18, entered the room. After Dylan had clocked what was happening, he headed straight over to Colby, who is serving with the U.S. National Guard, for a long-awaited hug. Dylan hadn’t seen his brother for around six months because of Colby's service. The family had relocated to Massachusetts in July 2021, and Dylan had to start his junior year in a school where he didn’t know anyone, his mom, Joyelle, said. Colby leaving for basic training in September was incredibly difficult for Dylan, as he wasn’t able to see him every day for support. The 18-year-old then went off to boot camp at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and, after graduation, headed to Leonard Wood, Missouri, for advanced individual training. Dylan had planned to follow in his brother's footsteps and join the military, but he found out that hearing loss would disqualify him from serving.