At 22 years old and fresh out of our beloved St. Mary's College, Dylin Kentaro Ganassin is preparing for his next chapter: serving as a Medical Operations Officer in the United States Army at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. His long-term goal is to become a medevac pilot, combining leadership, service, and a commitment to helping others.

Dylin's path to military service was shaped by family. His parents instilled in him a strong work ethic, a love of country, and the importance of continually striving to improve oneself. He also credits his older sister, an Army Nurse Corps officer stationed at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, as an important role model.

"I am deeply patriotic and driven by service above self," Dylin says. "The United States Army has given me an opportunity to serve this country that I love so dearly."

During his college years, Dylin balanced a demanding academic schedule with Army ROTC. The commitment often meant 5 a.m. wake-up calls, a daily commute to UC Berkeley for training, and the challenge of meeting both military and academic expectations. The experience taught him valuable lessons in time management, discipline, and gratitude for the people who helped him along the way.

His accomplishments already reflect a willingness to seek out challenges. Dylin graduated from Air Assault School at Fort Benning, earned a Department of Defense Project GO scholarship to study Japanese in Beppu, Japan, and was selected as an Army JAG intern in Kaiserslautern, Germany, where he worked with the Trial Defense Service learning how military legal teams support and defend American soldiers.

Despite these achievements, Dylin keeps his advice to others remarkably simple: "Just show up."

He points to a favorite quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving."

Looking ahead, Dylin hopes to make a positive impact as a leader, whether for soldiers, friends, or family members. He believes leadership is about inspiring others while remaining open to being inspired yourself.

"I believe service is the highest form of humanity," he says. "If you can instill that in yourself or your kids, we can all make this world so much better."

As America marks its 250th year, Dylin represents a new generation choosing to answer the call to serve, carrying forward a tradition that continues to shape both communities and the nation.