Jason and Jerome Miller grew up in a military family. Their dad is career Navy.
The twins were naturally close, and living in 12 different cities before college made their bond even tighter. Jerome, now a member of Georgia Tech's track and field team, and Jason spent a lot of time together as they learned new schools and made new friends along each stop.
But, despite being each other's best friends, Jason was stumped when recently asked, "Why does your brother want to be an astronaut?"
"If you find out, you can let me know," Jason said. "Everybody in the family sometimes looks at him like he's crazy."
Perhaps it's something about the feeling of going up. Jerome is a senior high jumper at Tech and has a good chance to win a national title during the NCAA outdoor championships, which start Wednesday in Fayetteville, Ark.
But going up in the high jump, where Jerome's high this season is 7 feet, 3.25 inches, is a bit different than the 73-mile jump it takes to reach outer space.
Still, becoming an astronaut is all Jerome says he's ever wanted to do. And he's trying to make it happen, even though he's not going to follow his father and brother by enlisting in the Navy. He's going to be a Marine.
"It came down to the Marine Corps because I'm really interested in flying choppers and being close to the troops on the ground," Jerome said.
He has frequently defied gravity at Tech. He won his first ACC outdoor high jump title in April by clearing 6-11.75, earning All-ACC recognition in the event for the fifth time. Then he qualified for his third NCAA outdoor championships with an East Region record at 7-3.25 last month.
After the NCAAs are over, he'll report to the Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Va., for the second of two six-week sessions. He completed the first one two summers ago.
While Jerome will be completing OCS, Jason will be following his father, Cmdr. Jimmie Miller, who is now at a recruiting station in Los Angeles, and will be in the Navy's OCS in Rhode Island.
"My dad does say that my brother is his favorite now," Jerome jokes.
While they will have similar ranks, Jason — who chose to attend college at Missouri — will be commissioned before Jerome, who won't graduate until December. So, Jason will have seniority, but don't expect him to try and order Jerome around, at least not much anyway.
"A Naval officer doesn't order a Marine around," Jerome said.
"For that little bit of time, I will be exercising my authority as best I can," Jason replied. "I can't do too much, but whatever I have the power to do I will do."
Jerome said he's looking forward to the next OCS session, but he said everyone says that until it's time to get on the plane. It's then they realize what's ahead and how hard it will be the second time.
"I'm excited to get back," Jerome said. "I really want to get back and get this over with."
Once he completes OCS, he will come back to Tech. He's expected to graduate with a degree in aerospace engineering in December, and will be commissioned as a second lieutenant. He then will report to the Basic School at Quantico, which lasts six months.
From there he will be stationed at Pensacola, Fla., or Corpus Christi, Texas. The goal is to fly F-18s or Cobra attack helicopters. And then, one day, perhaps he will make the ultimate high jump into outer space.
Until then, perhaps Jason can order Jerome to tell him why he wants to be an astronaut.
Here's his answer.
"Space really interests me because we don't know a whole lot about it and I would like to get out there and see what it is like," Jerome said.
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