F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- For many Airmen, joining the Air Force is a challenging and even lonely path. The mission often requires Airmen to move far away from their families and friends. For these triplets who joined the Air Force together, this is not entirely the case.
As senior year at Hutto High School, located around the outskirts of Austin, Texas, came to an end for Rylee, Colton, and Jaden Joiner, they began to think of the best option for their future. Their parents encouraged the three to join the military for the college benefits it can provide. The triplets’ grandfather also highly encouraged them to join the Air Force specifically, due to his prior service in the branch.
The three met a recruiter who visited their high school to talk about the benefits of joining the Air Force, and they later began to look at jobs they qualified for. The recruiter recommended they choose Security Forces because of the likelihood of them staying together. They also took the opportunity to get more experience in the law enforcement career field.
The Joiners officially joined the Air Force together, signing four-year contracts, on June 26, 2023. They shipped out to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and were all placed together in the 326th Training Squadron, where they became Bulldogs for Basic Military Training. Since they were originally from Austin, they didn’t have many issues with the hot Texas heat during their summer training. After seven and a half training weeks, the three proudly graduated BMT on Aug. 16, 2023.
“I was definitely more comfortable having family there because pretty much everyone in BMT goes alone, unless you’re going through the “buddy system.” Colton said. “It was easier to break the ice because I had them already, so I think it definitely helped.”
The three then went to tech school at Lackland Air Force Base, and after graduating from the three-month long tech school, the triplets were stationed together at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, and were placed in the same unit, the Hellhounds of the 890th Missile Security Forces Squadron. Rylee, the oldest, was placed in Alpha Flight, Colton, the middle, in Bravo Flight, and Jaden, the youngest, in Charlie Flight. They were placed in birth order, even if only 2 minutes apart. Rylee was originally going to be on the law enforcement side of security forces, but was switched over by Chief Master Sgt. Matthew Heenan, 890 MSFS senior enlisted leader, to be with her siblings.
Going through basic training, tech school, and being stationed at their first base together has helped them tremendously throughout their Air Force career, and due to their similar schedules, the three frequently spend time together after their shifts.
All three of the Joiner defenders say that being stationed together is a very positive outcome for them because they’re able to see each other almost daily, and it also makes it easier for their parents and family members to visit them.
“I would say I’m pretty happy with it,” Rylee said. “Though, I haven’t experienced cold like this before, so I’m in a new environment and getting to learn things I haven’t gotten to do before.”
When they’re allowed to move out of the dormitories on base, the three plan on moving into a house together and becoming roommates. Additionally, all three plan on staying in the Air Force for the full 20 years. Rylee wants to eventually cross train into the Office of Special Investigations , Colton into the Tactical Response Force or to work with military working dogs, and Jaden into Cyber.
The Joiner siblings agree this journey will be worth it because of the encouragement they give each other and being able to help each other grow and succeed along the way.