Fox News contributor Johnny “Joey” Jones has officially returned to military service, reenlisting in the United States Marine Corps Reserve more than a decade after suffering life-changing injuries while serving in Afghanistan.
The former Marine staff sergeant took the oath during a ceremony at the Pentagon, marking a remarkable new chapter after spending 14 years out of uniform following the injuries that medically ended his active-duty career.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth administered the oath of enlistment, praising Jones’ commitment to service and calling his return to the Marine Corps an easy decision.
Although Jones is returning to military service, he will continue his work at Fox News as co-host of The Big Weekend Show while providing military analysis across the network’s platforms.
A return driven by unfinished business
During the ceremony, Jones explained that his decision to reenlist came from a long-held feeling that his military service had never truly reached the ending he wanted.
“The last job I had in uniform — my job was to get better. It was to heal. It’s a very selfish thing. My job was to heal. The Marine Corps paid me to get better, and then I retired,” Jones said.
He added that while there was nothing wrong with leaving the service under those circumstances, it still felt like “unfinished business.”
Jones said he wanted to demonstrate that service remains possible for those who still have something meaningful to contribute, regardless of the obstacles they have faced.
“If there’s an opportunity for me to serve, there’s no reason why a no-legged 40-year-old staff sergeant should be able to put the uniform on,” he said, adding that he hopes his return opens doors for others who also wish to continue serving.
From the battlefield to the Pentagon
Jones first enlisted in the Marine Corps in April 2005. After initially working on radio systems, he later retrained as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician.
He deployed to Iraq in 2007 before serving a second deployment in Afghanistan in 2010 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
During that deployment, Jones’ EOD team destroyed nearly 80 improvised explosive devices before tragedy struck on Aug. 6, 2010, when he stepped on an IED.
The explosion claimed both of his legs above the knee and caused severe injuries to his arms and wrists, bringing his combat career to an abrupt end.
Jones spent the next two years recovering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he also founded a mentoring program that paired veterans further along in their recovery with newly injured service members.
Following his rehabilitation, he completed a fellowship with the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, attended Georgetown University and earned his degree in 2014.
Continuing to serve in a new role
Jones explained that his new responsibilities will look very different from his previous deployments.
Rather than returning to bomb disposal operations, he will serve inside the Pentagon, supporting Marine Corps explosive ordnance disposal policy and helping address issues affecting the EOD community.
“My job now is going to be to support everyone that wears the Marine Corps uniform and the EOD badge,” Jones said, explaining that he is prepared to contribute in whatever way is needed, whether through policy work, administrative support or advocacy.
Hegseth said Jones has always embodied the values of the Marine Corps and believes his return will inspire a new generation of Americans considering military service.
“I don’t think there’s a better spokesman for the Marine Corps,” Hegseth said, praising Jones’ ability to explain military service through his own lived experience. He added that Jones’ desire to wear the uniform again “didn’t surprise” him and described the reenlistment as “an absolute no-brainer.”
For Jones, returning to the Marine Corps is not about revisiting the past, but about finding another way to serve the country and fellow Marines after believing his mission had been left unfinished.
