Pfc. Dillon Easton died in his sleep on Nov. 17 at his home in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, five months after being assigned to the 34th Infantry Division, better known as the Red Bulls. Due to a backlog of the Army’s latest dress uniforms, the Army Green Service Uniform, Easton wasn’t going to have one for his funeral on Nov. 22.
But the soldiers in his unit did everything in their power to ensure that he did.
First shared by U.S. Army WTF Moments, the soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 34th Infantry Division worked nonstop over the course of 20 hours to acquire and prepare his service uniform to reflect his awards and accomplishments during his short time serving in the Minnesota National Guard.
“He’s one of our brothers,” said Sgt. 1st Class Brooke Colby, who helped get everything together for Easton’s uniform. “Whether we met him or didn’t, we are still going to make sure he’s taken care of. I put myself in the family’s shoes. If the soldier’s so new, they don’t know. What would my mom want? What would I want at my funeral?”
Colby added that she and the other soldiers in the unit wanted “to represent the Army and give us the positivity light to show off what he did, so his family are able to be proud of the accomplishments in his short time in the military.”
Colby, a staff noncommissioned officer in the unit’s supply section said Easton “made an impact” during his time at the unit. She spoke to his recruiter, Staff Sgt. Jacob Remmey, at the funeral, who spoke highly of Easton.
In a letter to the family, provided to Task & Purpose by the 34th Infantry Division, Remmey highlighted Easton’s drive as a new soldier.
“After his return from Basic Training, he immediately helped fill in as a leader within our ranks. From helping pass his newfound knowledge of the Army on to other soldiers, to helping lead the company in PT every morning of drill,” Remmey said in the letter. “It was his thoughtfulness and desire to help that brought much success to other new soldiers endeavoring to accomplish the same things Dillon had just done himself. If I know one thing, it will be his smile and sense of humor to uplift those around him that I feel will be missed the most. Dillon was many things to many people.”
Colby found out about the need for Easton’s uniform the afternoon before the funeral service. She immediately put out messages to the supply soldiers in her unit to gather everything needed, so the family didn’t have to search their son’s belongings for things like the badges he received during training.
“It was one less thing that the family had to worry about trying to find for us, because during that day and time, they don’t need to worry about doing that stuff. That’s where we come into play.” Colby said. “It was perfectly put together — it wasn’t half put together with pins. So we represented the [Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion] the correct way, and making sure he was taken care of.”
Easton enlisted to gain assistance with college, but his main goal was to “give back,” said his mother, Jody Easton. He joined the Minnesota National Guard and attended basic training at Fort Moore, Georgia, in November 2023. Five months later, Easton graduated with honors from Information Technology Specialist Advanced Individual Training at Fort Eisenhower, Georgia.
He worked diligently to support his unit, and was posthumously awarded an Army Commendation Medal. His parents, Jody and David Easton said their son was quiet about his accomplishments. When soldiers from Easton’s unit arrived ahead of the funeral, they took time to explain his awards, and presented them with their son’s Army Commendation Medal.
“Dillon was a quiet guy. He didn’t express his achievements, so we had to learn on the other side,” Davis Easton said.
The work of Colby and her fellow Red Bull soldiers wasn’t lost on Easton’s parents.
“We are so grateful to the 34th Infantry Division Red Bulls during our time of grief,” the family said in an emailed statement. “Thankful for the quick and detailed work in preparing Dillon’s jacket,” they said, adding that “We thank the kindness of all the soldiers who were able to attend the service, many traveling a great distance that day.”
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