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December 03, 2007
Once A Marine, Always A Marine
AL QA’IM, Iraq – Cpl. Robert Jordan, the armory’s senior custodian for Company L of Task Force 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, stands with the M-249 semi-automatic weapon in the Company L armory at Camp Gannon, Husaybah, Iraq. Nearing his 40th birthday, Jordan craved the opportunity to once again wear the uniform of a United States Marine after leaving the Marine Corps almost 10 years ago.
Once a Marine, Always a Marine
By Cpl. Billy Hall, 2nd Marine Division
AL QA’IM, Iraq (Nov. 29, 2007) -- The phrase, “Once a Marine, always a Marine,” implies the title of U. S. Marine lasts a lifetime after serving your country as one of the few and the proud.
For one Marine, the memory of his years in the service was not enough to satisfy his devotion to duty and love for the Marine Corps.
Nearing his 40th birthday, Cpl. Robert Jordan, the armory’s senior custodian for Company L of Task Force 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, craved the opportunity to once again wear the uniform of a United States Marine after leaving the Marine Corps 10 years ago.
Jordan graduated from Chester W. Nimitz high school in Irving, Texas, and shortly thereafter stepped on the infamous yellow footprints at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, Nov. 27, 1987.
Jordan took on the now non-existent military occupational specialty of dragon gunner and received orders to Marine Corps Barracks, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. After several years, Jordan was up for voluntary separation due to the downsizing of the Marine Corps.
Longing to work with Marines and weapon systems again, Jordan volunteered to help drill a reserve unit in Shreveport, La., from 1993-1995. He decided working with Marines was not as good as actually being one, so Jordan ended up signing a three-year contract as an active-duty field wireman from 1995-1998.
Jordan, again, left the Marine Corps in 1998 to give civilian life a chance. Five years later, he realized that serving his country is his calling.
“Everyone was meant to do something: cooks, doctors, lawyers” Jordan said. “I believe God created me to be a war fighter.”
At the age of 34, Jordan entered a Marine Corps recruiting office with full intentions of re-enlisting, but the recruiter told him that it was not possible.
Heartbroken yet not defeated, the maturing veteran ran into a Coast Guard recruiter who went to his church. The Coast Guard offered Jordan a four-year contract as a gunner’s mate. Because of the increased role of the Coast Guard after 9/11 and Jordan’s past military experience, he had little trouble joining.
Ironically, the Coast Guard sent Jordan to Marine Special Operations Command at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., to help train Marines from 2003 to 2007. Working as an instructor for Marines and utilizing his knowledge of weapons, Jordan developed a passion for teaching.
“My students have told me that I have a way of breaking things down, so they can understand,” said Jordan. “If it’s a Mark-19 or smaller, I can teach you how to shoot it.”
Jordan enjoyed his time in the Coast Guard, but when presented with the option of re-enlisting and a promotion to petty officer first class, he had something else in mind.
“Some people asked if it was a mid-life crisis,” Jordan said. “It was just devotion to duty and being a Marine at heart.”
With the full support of his wife, Jordan took the opportunity to re-enlist as a corporal in the Marine Corps in 2007. He was assigned to Company L, 3rd Bn., 2nd Marines and is proudly working as senior custodian of the armory at Camp Gannon, Husaybah, Iraq.
Jordan continues to look to the future and hopes to one day become a Marine Corps recruiter to help others appreciate the Marine Corps as much as he has.
Wild Thing's comment........
I love this story, the way the various things happened to bring him back to the Marines. When things are meant to be thingis like this will happen. I am constantly in awe of what awesome men and women we have defending our country now and our Veterans. We truly are a blessed Nation and I pray more and more people will never let a day go by they do not realize who gave us our freedom and who fights for others to have it as well.
Thank God for the Coast Guard as well, We have an fantastic and dedicated Coast Guard and too little is written about them.
My best wishes to Cpl. Robert Jordan and thank you sir for serving our country.
Posted by Wild Thing at December 3, 2007 12:48 AM
Comments
... the few, the proud, THE BEST, the Marines!
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at December 3, 2007 06:12 AM
Give 'em hell, Marine. I envy you. I would give ANYTHING to serve again, but it is said I'm too old.
“Everyone was meant to do something: cooks, doctors, lawyers” Jordan said. “I believe God created me to be a war fighter.”
Along that line of thought, if this should ever reach the Commandant or a recruiter, I can do a lot of things to help the Corps. And if an aggressor ever came to me, watch how hard I can fight. You'll have to go to Pet Smart and get a 'pooper-scooper'. Hah..."You Fly, I'll Buy".
Jordan, G_d Bless, and take care, my Marine Brother. (use your influence to get me back)
Posted by: SSgt Steve, USMC(Prior) at December 3, 2007 08:54 AM
During downsizing ? Hmmmm... And during the 90's must have been during the Clinotne Adminstration ... Yeah, well looky there ,,, it was... Now they want us to hire the Runt of the clinton litter.
Posted by: Mark at December 3, 2007 10:20 AM
That's one tough dude, going back at 40, I gave Armor a run for it at 31 and it nearly killed me. Too old to go back to Ft Knox but young enough to have worked all stations inside that iron coffin. I just loved it and the comradery of being a crewman, problem was they wanted me to be a classroon NCO, a base camp nerd so I hung it up.. I'm envious, just too old with too many miles on the carcass but I'd still give it a try.
Yeah Mark, that's the legacy of the Clinton balanced budget, show off the family jewels, , strip the military, sell off all the assets, steal the rest then beg for help at the UN.
Posted by: Jack at December 3, 2007 04:39 PM
Darth, I thought it was a nice story and how much he wanted back in was great. Thank you Darth.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 4, 2007 12:04 AM
SSgt Steve, USMC, thank you, well said.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 4, 2007 12:05 AM
Mark, yes, the Clinton's hate our military. And I hate the Clinton's right back.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 4, 2007 12:09 AM
Jack, I wish our side would get right in the Clinton's face, about their hate for the military. They have been let off the hook so much for all their horrible things and their loathing of the military is one huge one.
Posted by: Wild Thing at December 4, 2007 12:12 AM
