True Blue Siblings

April 8, 2016

There are few tighter bonds than those to a University you love, the country you love and the family you love. Just take Julian, Ryan and Bradley Holmes for example. They’re all serving their country in the U.S. Army, they are alumni of Georgia Southern, and they’re family — a family whose True Blue spirit soars high.

Julian Holmes (‘13) shared the story of how he and his brothers found their home at Georgia Southern in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Program. Ryan Holmes (‘10), the eldest of the Holmes brothers, was the first of the siblings to enroll in the program and set an example for Julian and his younger brother, Bradley Holmes (‘15).

“I think all three of us have always felt a calling to serve in one capacity or another, but after Ryan entered the Georgia Southern ROTC Program, we saw a great opportunity to be part of something special,” said Julian.

Julian said he and Bradley watched Ryan excel at the University, and were eager to follow in his footsteps — both as a student and as a leader. Even before they were students, the younger men frequented Statesboro because, “with an older brother there, we spent a lot of times at football games and events.”

The Army ROTC Program provided the Holmes brothers with the leadership skills and opportunities they needed to go on and serve as officers in the U.S. Army, which all three of them did.

“Now Ryan is a Captain, I am a 1st Lt., and Bradley is a 2nd Lt.,” Julian said. “Our parents are very proud of us and always fly our unit flags on the front porch of our house in Fayetteville, Georgia.”

Although Ryan has been deployed before, and Julian is currently deployed serving in Afghanistan, he said the brothers don’t forget their True Blue roots.

“I keep my [Georgia Southern] hat with me everywhere,” he said. “I try to represent Georgia Southern wherever I am in the world.

“True Blue to me is simply taking pride in and representing the school whether you are a current student or graduate,” he added. “My family loves Georgia Southern, and that was a huge reason why my brothers and I went there. Georgia Southern students have an amazing sense of pride about the school.”