On this Memorial Day, we remember the members of the military who did not return from the battlefield. And, those who did return are paying great homage to the ultimate sacrifices paid by their brothers and sisters with the decision to reenlist. Here is one of those Marines who exemplifies the courage to fight for our country, and the determination to fight on:
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Marine Staff Sergeant Johnny Joey Jones recently decided that in spite of his injuries in Afghanistan (the loss of two legs and damage to his hands), his work with the Marines was not complete—Jones re-enlisted and was sworn in by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who made these remarks:
‘I don’t think there’s a better spokesman for the Marine Corps, understating what it’s all about, what it means to serve, the brotherhood that exists, than how Joey talks about it on television so that the American people understand it and connect to it in a visceral way,’ Hegseth said. ‘You can talk about it academically, or from a detached perspective, or you can talk about it having lived it, the way he has. … It’s in his bones, it’s in his heart and soul, wearing that uniform.’
For Jones, Hegseth said, the Marine Corps values have always been a full-time thing.
‘Semper Fi means that for him every day,’ Hegseth said. ‘He’s just a good human being who does the right things for the right reasons. And when I first got word that he was interested in getting back in uniform, it actually didn’t surprise me.’
Another Marine who re-enlisted was U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Dakota Meyer, a Medal of Honor recipient. Here is what he said to explain his return to service:
‘You’ve got to be who you say you are and live by the standards you expect everybody else to live by. I had to look in the mirror and lay out who I wanted to be, then turn around and assess all my decisions and habits and decide if they were helping me get closer to who I needed to be.’
In the end, Meyer’s decision to reenlist was driven by a deep sense of responsibility, both to his fellow Marines and to himself.
‘Still today, at my age, joining the Marine Corps is the single greatest thing that I have ever done,’ Meyer said.
The devotion and valor these men have shown and continue to show is a premier example of what it means to serve and protect our country, an attitude that our fallen soldiers no doubt possessed.
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In addition, they are encouraging other members of our military to consider extending their service. A few years ago, we lamented the poor enlistment numbers of the military. But with the election of Donald Trump, recruitment numbers have soared.
The reasons for the rise in the numbers are many. Higher pay, modernizing military structures, and even better advertising have motivated our young men and women to sign up. Some Gen Zers have decided that rather than suffering through a job search with limited openings and a future of student debt, they prefer the military route for a career. Col. Lee Evans, Army Recruiting Command’s director of market intelligence, pointed out these facts:
‘What we’ve seen over the last couple years is that unemployment rates remain relatively low, right around 4%, but we’ve seen the job openings rate decrease,’ Evans said.
‘Many times, that provides a skills mismatch out in the labor market,’ he said. ‘And we’re postured well to compete in that arena, because we have so many offerings within the Army.’
Evans added that in a volatile job market, young people might be more attracted to the military’s career opportunities with transferable skills for later civilian life, like working as an electrician or HR specialist. Gen Z is already turning toward traditionally blue-collar technical careers.
Another way to make the military more appealing is to provide incentives to young people who wouldn’t initially qualify. Obesity and poor fitness on the part of recruits makes them ineligible to join. To address these roadblocks, the Army created the Future Soldier Preparatory Course, which helps enlistees improve their test scores and helps them reduce their weight to meet current standards.
But I learned a remarkable fact in investigating recruitment in the military: all the military branches are experiencing a 50% or more re-enlistment from their former military members! These are mature people who were honorably discharged, soldiers with years of military experience and discipline and an appreciation of the opportunities that the military provides for learning and growing. The benefits, personal and financial, of being part of a community that is not only dedicated to this country but who are committed to each other, are tremendous.
We live in a time when our national security and safety have become more important than ever. The military is stepping up to the plate in terms of adjusting to the mindset, needs, and training of those who enlist and re-enlist. The military has been re-defined as a class of warriors, dedicated to the people of the United States of America.
We are incredibly blessed to have these people protect and serve, and we will never forget those who laid down their lives for our sake.
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Image generated by ChatGPT.