JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Dillon and Dustin Yancy did everything together while growing up in the small town of Ravenden Springs, Arkansas. They played football, they played baseball and their competitiveness with each other drove them both toward joining the Air Force as battlefield airmen.
Dillon was the first to be recruited and join the Delayed Entry Program, but he initially had looked at career choices outside the scope of special operations. It wasn't until Tech. Sgt. Richard Shoemaker, 345th Recruiting Squadron B-Flight chief, introduced the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape career field as an option that Dillon became interested.
Shoemaker said Dillon had brought his twin brother to a DEP call, and that when he initially spoke with them, Dustin wasn't even interested in joining.
"I sat and discussed all the options with them both," Shoemaker said. "After our talk, Dillon was very interested in this option [spec ops], and I basically challenged his brother, Dustin, to join as well."
Shoemaker added that because of the twins' competitive nature, this challenge was one Dustin would accept.
"Everyone wants to do something meaningful with their lives," Dustin said.
"It's a great way to build our team work and to enjoy having someone we're raised up with," he added about joining the Air Force with his brother.
Dillon echoed his brother's sentiment and said joining at the same time as Dustin was "a good opportunity to stay strong and to keep a positive mindset through all of our training."
Mom couldn't be more proud.
"I think that they have made a very good choice in joining the Air Force. It provides many different opportunities to serve their country," Tonya Yancy said. "They have always strived to be the best so this path fits their personalities."
Shoemaker and Staff Sgt. Thomas Claybrooks, B-Flight recruiter, worked hard to ensure the twins were able to ship together.
"We were able to get this done, and they are both eager to serve their country and have a direct impact on the warfighting effort," he said. "They joined to make a better life for themselves and experience all the options that the Air Force can offer them."
Shoemaker said this was the first set of twins he has recruited.
"I believe they will be great assets to the Air Force and make a significant contribution to the special operations mission," he said. "The opportunities for them are endless, and they have always wanted to be a part of something bigger."
Dillon and Dustin departed for Basic Military Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, on April 15. After BMT, they both will attend SERE technical training at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash.
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