One mother was thrilled to receive a surprise message from her son, who currently works on the Texas-Mexico border, during his college graduation ceremony.
“My mom’s heart was breaking,” Jennifer Duggin, 50, of Woodbury, Tennessee, told Fox News Digital.
“I wasn’t expecting that at all and I don’t like being the center of attention, but when Will appeared on screen I started crying. It completely surprised me.”
“Hey, Mom,” said Sergeant. William Bailey, 28, wearing a Tennessee Army National Guard uniform, can be heard saying in the video.
“I know I won’t be able to attend your graduation ceremony, so I thought I’d make a video to congratulate you and say I love you. Push me. See you later.”
Duggin himself is an active military man – Sgt. Private First Class Duggin, also in the Tennessee Army National Guard, knows that missing out on special moments is part of his job.
While raising her children, she served in Iraq from the early 2009s to the 2010s.
So when Duggin received his Master of Professional Studies diploma at Tennessee Tech University, he wasn’t disappointed that his son wasn’t there.
“We are an army,” Duggin said. “We miss a lot. But he was able to watch the ceremony live. And on the way home, I called him crying and he said, ‘You got it, right?’ said, “Yes, that’s right.” I’m here. ‘”
Bailey is currently working in McAllen, Texas, as the U.S. border crisis continues.
“My mother was always there to support all of us growing up, even when we were overseas,” Bailey told FOX News Digital.
“I felt like I had to give back,” he added. “Seeing her mother happy always makes me happy too, because she’s always number one.”
Duggin joined the National Guard when he was 17, but said he always knew he wanted to someday get a college education.
However, she put her country and family first, married a “hometown boy” at a young age, and had a son with her.
“I wanted to get out of the small town I was living in,” Duggin said with a laugh.
“I wanted to see things. I wanted to do things. And I wanted to go to college. So I joined. It was definitely a good thing for me,” she added.
While serving in Iraq, she worked in supply.
“We delivered supplies from one FOB, a forward operating base, to forward operating bases across Iraq,” Duggin said.
“We put them in a convoy. I’m actually in the aviation industry, so I’m going to be on a plane.”
She returned home in 2010 and continued working full-time in the military. In 2012, she took a new job refueling helicopters.
Throughout this time, she and her second husband raised ten children.
“We have three sons,” Duggin said. “We have nieces and nephews and some bonus kids who are friends with our kids. So when we get older, someone will be there to take care of us.”
In 2014, a friend asked Duggin if she would join him in pursuing an associate’s degree.
She gave it her all, but she didn’t stop there.
She continued her education and began working toward a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with minors in public safety and psychology.
“I was already in college, so I was already in my second year. I thought maybe I could graduate already,” she said.
“I only took two classes at a time, and it took me this long because I’m a perfectionist and wanted to get straight As,” Duggin said.
She completed her bachelor’s degree in 2023, she said.
Duggin then enrolled in a graduate program and earned her master’s degree in just one year with a 4.0 grade point average.
“I’ve done a lot of hard things in my life, but getting a master’s degree in one year was hard,” Duggin said.
“I cried a lot and wanted to quit. But I had a point to prove and a bucket list to check off. It was my lifelong goal to get a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. I never dreamed that I would be able to obtain one.”
Duggin also serves as a readiness noncommissioned officer, an administrative role for the unit.
She supports and advises soldiers through all of life’s decisions and challenges, including marriage, divorce, and the birth of children, as well as through their military professional careers.
James Rhodes, who works with Staff Sergeant Duggin, said he supports all soldiers “whether on duty or off duty.”
“If there was an event on the civilian side, she would go out of her way to come to that event, no matter who she was,” Rose told Fox News Digital. “She treats everyone equally and she literally takes care of us.”
Duggin said he remembers what it was like to be a young man in the military and wanted to share his experience with those just starting out in life.
“I took a lot of wrong turns,” Duggin said. “But thankfully God forgives.” [a] U-turn. I have been married to my girlfriend’s husband for 18 years and he is my biggest cheerleader. We all make mistakes. Sometimes we go down the wrong path. The only way you can fix it is to make a U-turn and start over. So that’s what I did. ”
She recommends military careers to men and women who aspire to success.
“The pay is guaranteed, the benefits are guaranteed,” she said.
“It’ll pay for your college tuition. Once you retire, you’ll have life insurance. Yes, you’re making a sacrifice. Less than 1% of people join the military. Become a part of it. Please,” Duggin added.
That’s exactly what her son did.
“Most people look up to superheroes and celebrities in their lives. I started looking up to my mom,” Bailey said.
“The decisions my mom makes in the military impact not only her, but her soldiers, and me. She pushes me every day to help me become a better soldier and a better leader myself. They encourage me so I can grow through the military and help others.”
One of the messages Duggin wants to share is that you’re never too old to get an education.
“These two papers that hang on the wall of my office are the ones I got. I always tell my soldiers: Sometimes it’s hard when you’re young, but when you go back to school, You’re never too old to learn, even if it’s just one class at a time.”
