Dylan is not a politician. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology. After several years studying cancer immunotherapies as a research technician and graduate student at UIUC, he graduated with a Master of Science in Biochemistry.

Dylan enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard as a combat medic in 2012 and commissioned as an Army Officer in 2016, through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at UIUC. He served on active duty for over five years, including a deployment to Afghanistan from 2019-2020 as a Battalion Medical Operations Officer for the 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment.

Dylan also served on the Illinois National Guard Joint Staff as the lead medical planner to support COVID-19 pandemic response operations. He then served a three-year tour at US Army Europe and Africa in Germany to support both Ukraine and NATO, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

For his service, Dylan has received a Bronze Star Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal, four Army Commendation Medals, a Joint Service Achievement Medal, two Army Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" device.

Dylan also received the 2023 Captain John R. Teal Leadership Award for his contributions to US Army medicine and the entire US Army.