Honoring Veterans: Marine Corps Veteran Nick Jones

Growing up in Overland Park, Kansas, Nick Jones became fascinated with the military after the Twin Towers fell when he was in 5th grade. He graduated early to join the Marine Corps. Jones graduated boot camp as a mortarman in January 2010, joined the the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, and deployed to Afghanistan as a scout sniper in 2012.

After gaining the experience and rank necessary for Marine Raider in the Marine Special Forces Command (MARSOC) in January 2013, Jones put his mortars experience to good use in a 2016 deployment to Iraq with MARSOC’s 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, Hotel Company, Team 2. During Operation Inherent Resolve, Jones returned to Iraq as third in command over a team of Eagles (U.S. ground combat Special Operations Forces) assigned to assist Iraqi partner forces.

Deployed five times, three of those to combat, Jones received the Marine Corps Commendation Medal with a combat V for valor. He served his last six years as MARSOC.

On a March 8, 2020, for an operation assisting Iraqi forces in clearing Islamic State militants from a cave outside Mosul, Iraq, Jones’ team divided with him in charge of one group. When he heard that two Eagles from the other group were down, he rushed toward the intense gunfire. Coming across an injured French ally pinned by enemy fire, Jones helped him to safety, then crossed cavern roofs with the security team’s guidance and cover fire. He still could not reach the other team leaders, but was close enough to see that they were dead.

Determined to retrieve the fallen, Jones tossed grenades and requested sniper cover fire, Apache helicopter fire and even hellfire missiles. Despite this, his final attempt at reaching his teammates ended in enemy fire that damaged the main sensory and motor nerve in his right leg, which would end his 11-year Marine Corps career.

Jones earned a Purple Heart and became only the eighth Marine Raider since the group’s founding in 2006 to earn the Navy Cross, the Navy’s second-highest award for valor. He sought help at the July 2020 funeral for his lost team members, as well as when he fell back into self-destructive coping mechanisms like he had after losing his best friend in a 2017 helicopter crash. 

Following surgery’s inability to resolve the pain and dysfunctionality of his leg, Jones officially left the service on Nov. 10, 2021. He underwent eight major surgeries as of 2022, pushing through the mental and emotional struggles of losing his comrades, team, military career and physical ability. 

Needing a purpose, in 2021, Jones created Talon’s Reach, a foundation to support Eagles suffering physical, mental and moral injuries. He named it after his fallen best friend, Talon Leach. Jones explained, “I really want to show people that it’s okay to ask for help, that it’s okay to be hurting, to be struggling, mentally and physically.”

We honor his service.

Nominate a Veteran for Honoring Veterans

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? VA’s Honoring Veterans social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Writer: Michelle A. Shade

Editor: Tayler Rairigh

Researchers: Kelsey Burchard, William Vega

Graphic Designer: Kiki Kelley