DeKALB | One member of NIU’s staff has reason to be excited this holiday season.

Stu Roach, a materials management route driver, will spend the holidays with his twin sons, Justin and Jon, who will be home from serving in the Air Force for Christmas.

Justin and Jon, 20, are the third generation of men in the family to join the Air Force, and Roach couldn’t be more proud. Roach said the military experience they gain now will help them in the future.

Justin — currently stationed at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia — joined the Air Force a couple of months after graduating from high school.

“Obviously, a little bit of it had to do with past generations of my family being in the service, but I joined right out of high school and I love my country,” Justin said.

Justin said he thought of joining for a while, but the events of 9/11 set it in stone for him. He is currently going through tech school to become an airborne operations technician, where his main job will be operating the radar.

Jon is currently going through tech school as part of Security Forces, or military police, at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Duties include monitoring the base and guarding the gates and restricted areas on the base. He joined the Air Force after spending time in college and realizing it was not for him. Recently, he made the decision to join his brother at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.

“It’ll be nice, because I can spend time with my brother,” Jon said. “I haven’t seen him much in a year.”

While Justin is contemplating making a career out of the military, Jon plans to become a police officer or firefighter when he finishes his service.

“The best part of being in the Air Force is the gratitude that people give me,” Justin said. “Being in uniform at the airport and having someone come up, shake your hand and say, ‘thank you’ — there’s nothing like it.”

Stephanie Kohl is a Campus Reporter for the Northern Star.