A lost uncle. A family of veterans. A draw to the AFJROTC program.

It’s hard to say exactly which of these factors led to sophomore Timothy Coy’s interest in joining the military, but the determination is there. 

“I plan on going to Creighton and I’ll do Air Force ROTC through UNO,” Coy said. “And then I plan on commissioning as a commissioned officer into the U.S. Air Force.”

As Coy talks, it’s easy to see his love for the military community. Living in Bellevue, he grew up attending church with veterans and befriending kids whose parents are in the military. 

“A lot of my friends are military brats, and all my parents’ friends are in the military, and we just have really strong bonds with the military community,” Coy said.

According to the Bellevue Public Schools annual report, 26% of BPS students are military-connected. In addition, all schools in the district have been designated as Purple Star schools for their support of military families.

“There are quite a few students in AFJROTC with families in branches of the military,” instructor Brian Yates said. “That is one thing that attracts many of our students because they have a chance to see their parents and relatives in that environment and want to learn core values and military history, communication skills and many of the other top-notch lessons we teach in our curriculum.”

Bellevue’s military community stems from Offutt Air Force Base, which has been a fixture of the city since 1946. The base, with its over 7,000 active duty military members, currently focuses on missile defense and cyber security.

“I think [Bellevue’s military community] is amazing for the economy of the city along with enhancing the culture of the city since we have so many people in the military from different backgrounds,” Yates said.

According to the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, there are over 1.6 million military children in the United States, many of whom relocate often. Coy’s family has lived in Bellevue since his grandparents, who were stationed at Offutt in the 1970s, moved back to Bellevue after their retirement. Coy’s uncle, great-uncles, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather all served in the military.

“My grandpa, Timothy’s great-grandpa, was in the Army during World War II,” Christy Coy, Timothy Coy’s mother, said. “Hearing the stories he would tell while looking at old photos was very moving and gave you a sense that it is important to give back to the military community because they have given so much of themselves.”

Timothy Coy’s uncle, in fact, made the ultimate sacrifice when he passed away in an army training accident in 2006. Timothy J. Madison had only served for 10 months before his death.

“Losing my brother Tim in 2006 was a huge loss for our family,” Christy Coy said. “My husband and I were only married for 12 days when my brother was killed, so everyone that was just celebrating our marriage was now getting together to celebrate the life of my brother.”

Three years later, Christy Coy and her husband decided to name their son after Madison. Even though Timothy Coy never met his uncle, he still cites his uncle’s story as a major motivation for pursuing military service. 

“I just want to carry on my uncle’s legacy because he never got to serve out the career he wanted to,” he said. 

Currently, Timothy Coy is a cadet Senior Master Sergeant in the Bellevue East AFJROTC program. He is also involved in the Kitty Hawk Honor Society, an academic honor society for AFJROTC students, and Junior Leadership Academic Bowl, a program similar to quiz bowl. Timothy Coy’s plans to join Air Force ROTC in college would allow him to become a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force or Space Force upon graduation. 

“I just have always loved military life, and that’s why I’m currently in AFJROTC right now,” Timothy Coy said. “It’s helped me build my leadership skills, getting to talk to people more, talking in front of bigger groups, just meeting all the important military figures and leaders we have in this country really has helped me.”

His family is proud of not only his service in AFJROTC, but also his plans for the future. Christy Coy, much like her son, views Timothy’s goal to join the military as a way of carrying on their family’s dedication to military service.

“I am very proud of him for wanting to follow in his family’s footsteps and serve his country,” she said. “As a parent, it is very rewarding to see your child set high goals and work their hardest to attain those goals.”