‘Big Brother’ Cast Members Who Served in the Military

Jessica Graf (L) and Cody Nickson attend the People's Choice Awards 2018

Getty Jessica Graf (L) and Cody Nickson attend the People's Choice Awards 2018

For “Big Brother” fans out there who may be wondering, there are a few cast members who served in a branch of the United States Armed Forces — the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard. On Veteran’s Day, we would like to recognize them.


David Lane, Season 4

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Lane was a former Army Ranger, but that is all the information we can find on him. He really dropped off the map after “Big Brother 4.”


Parker Somerville, Season 9

This “Big Brother 9” houseguest served in the Air Force from 1999 to 2002 and received a general discharge.


Jacob Heald, Season 9

This houseguest was a former Marine when he appeared on the show.


Brian Hart, Season 10

This “Big Brother” alum served in the United States Air Force for six years as an F-16 crew chief and was honorably discharged when his service ended.


Jerry MacDonald, Season 10

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This houseguest’s nickname was “The Colonel” because he served four years in the United States Marine Corps before being honorably discharged in 1954.


Caleb Reynolds, Season 16

This two-time “Survivor” player and “Big Brother 16” alum joined the U.S. Army after high school and was a prison guard in Iraq. In his “Survivor” bio, he said, “I am an ex-military man and very well trained in survival. I’m a tough competitor and can make fire out of nothing, build shelter, create insulation, help catch and kill food. I’m the die-hard outdoors man that can and will survive!”


James Huling, Big Brother 17

This “Big Brother” fan-favorite served for six years. He was in the United States Army National Guard, becoming a 21Bravo Combat Engineer 92 Fox Fuel petroleum Specialist, which means he was responsible for refueling helicopters in combat. Huling enlisted right after high school because of the September 11 attacks and was awarded the Operation Enduring Freedom Medal because he joined during a time of war.


Cody Nickson, Big Brother 19

This “Big Brother” alum originally joined the United States Air Force but later transferred into the Marine Corps. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines where he was a 0311 Rifleman in combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He earned campaign medals for his deployments, two National Defense Service Medals, a Good Conduct Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and two Navy Unit Commendations.

Furthermore, his brother Dillin was a member of the 133rd Test Squadron of the Iowa Air National Guard. He was killed in a motorcycle accident in 2011 while Cody was deployed. In the Charles City Globe Gazette article about Dillin’s accident, it says “At his home was a care package he assembled to send to his brother, Cody Nickson, a Marine serving in Afghanistan.”


Megan Lowder, Big Brother 19

Lowder was a houseguest on “Big Brother 19” who self-evicted before the live feeds started. Once viewers knew she was gone from the house, she told the Desert Sun that it was because the confrontations in the house triggered her PTSD from when she was sexually assaulted while serving in the United States Navy.

“When I was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, I was sexually assaulted and I got really bad PTSD from it,” said Lowder. “So in the house… I had a lot of guys yelling at me and attacking me and it started really affecting me and making my anxiety severe and I was starting to get physically ill. I was throwing up, I had diarrhea, I was nauseous all the time.”

“Big Brother” returns this winter with a third celebrity edition, then season 24 should return in the summer of 2022.

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