Brandon Proudly Joins Brother In Coast Guard
by U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Ian Gray
June 24, 2023

As a yeoman in the United States Coast Guard, Petty Officer Second Class Brandon Jones has seen it all. From the peaceful waters of the Cayman Islands to the rough seas of the North Atlantic, Jones has served with distinction. But it’s the work he does off the water that has earned him the admiration of his colleagues and community he serves.

Son of Kenny Jones and Tammy Brooks, Jones was born and raised in Luverne, Alabama ... a small town south of Montgomery. He spent his childhood freshwater fishing and enjoying the outdoors. It wasn’t until high school when Jones first learned of the Coast Guard through his older brother.

“My older brother Justin joined in 2008 while I was still in high school,” said Jones. “He would come home to visit after his deployments and share his amazing stories of all the adventures he’d been on. I was hooked and knew I wanted to be a part of what he was doing.”

During the early stages of Justin’s career in the Coast Guard, he conducted search and rescue and drug interdiction missions and shared his experiences with Brandon.

“It was a great feeling being out in public on a port call in small fishing villages and having locals coming up and praising us for protecting the waters,” said Petty Officer First Class Justin Jones. “They would always say they felt safe knowing we were out there, and that gave me a sense of great respect for joining the service. I would share those experiences and stories to Brandon and every time I did, I could see in his eyes that he wanted to join more than anything.”

At the age of 17, soon after graduating from high school, Jones followed in his brother's footsteps and joined the Coast Guard.

“I was beyond excited once I received my basic training date. Eight weeks of rigorous training then onto the next unknown chapter and a very rewarding career.”

After Jones graduated from basic training in Cape May, New Jersey, he was assigned to the Coast Guard Cutter Dependable, homeported in Virginia Beach, VA. While serving aboard the Dependable as a Seaman, Jones, along with his shipmates sailed from New York City to Golfito, Costa Rica, conducting law enforcement, alien migrant interdiction, protection of marine resources, and search-and-rescue operations.

“I had an amazing experience while aboard the Dependable. The crew’s professionalism, dedication, and camaraderie made it a truly unforgettable journey.”

In July of 2017 Jones received orders to Training Center Petaluma to attend Yeoman A-School where he would soon learn the clerical and administration job he would carry out for the remainder of his Coast Guard career.

After Jones graduated from A-school, he received orders to a unit in Florida, where he would face his biggest challenge as a young junior member.

“I had a rough go at my first unit after I graduated from A-School.” I felt broken down and almost burned out from the Coast Guard. I saw an opportunity to transfer to Air Station New Orleans, so I went for it and ended up getting it. While in New Orleans, I met one of the best leaders and mentors I had ever met in the Coast Guard, Chief Petty Officer Anne Coombes. She reignited the passion I had for the service and inspired me to continue on with my career."

Coombes recognized something special in Brandon, and she knew that with the right guidance and support, he could achieve great things and continue his career in the Coast Guard.

“Brandon and I made a great team right out the bat,” said Chief Petty Officer Anne Coombes. He is kind, funny, empathetic, and personable – all traits that help make a great Yeoman, so I was disheartened to see him struggling and questioning his career with the Coast Guard. He needed to see the importance of our job and how big of an impact he personally had on our members. I encouraged him to look to the future and embrace the challenges that we face, both in our personal and professional lives. I’m so proud at how far he has come, and it has truly been a privilege to have played a small part in his journey.”

Jones carried out his duties at Air Station New Orleans for just over a year before he made the rank of Petty Officer Second Class. From New Orleans, Jones took his next assignment at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.

“The Academy was a great place where I was able to assist cadets with their administration needs and provide an enlisted perspective to some of the challenges they had.”

During his time in New London, Jones discovered his love and passion for volleyball.

“I was always intrigued by the sport and played a little in high school, so I joined a volleyball club at a place called The Sandbox. I took development courses where I learned how to play with proper technique and while doing so, I met a group of about 60 volleyball players that lived in the local community. We all would play after work in the afternoons. I spent hours playing on the weekends, I was almost obsessed.”

The New London volleyball community provided Jones with morale and a sense of belonging.

“It made coming to a new area as a service member easier, I felt completely welcomed by the volleyball community. Leaving New London, I was confident enough to teach volleyball and create the same community environment at my new duty station in Kodiak.”

Jones is currently serving as a yeoman second class petty officer at Base Kodiak in Kodiak, AK. He has received various awards throughout his eight-year career including a Letter of Commendation Medal, two Meritorious Team Awards, and two Good Conduct Medals.

Away from his Coast Guard duties, Jones remains heavily active with events on and off the base, volunteering his personal time coaching junior high schoolers in volleyball, supervising activities during MWR events, and he consistently gathers his peers and colleagues for outdoor recreational hikes.

Jones’ Coast Guard career goals are to make petty officer first class and take the ServiceWide Examination to make the rank of chief as soon as possible for the opportunity to become a Coast Guard warrant officer.

When asked how it makes you feel to serve in the Coast Guard Jones said, “I’m proud that I’m able to be a part of a small organization that makes such a large impact on the world. It gives me a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment being able to do such a demanding job at a youthful age. In addition, my parents are my biggest supporters of being in the Coast Guard and being able to make them proud outweighs all accomplishments I’ve achieved while serving.”

“Brandon Jones is an exemplary member of the Coast Guard, demonstrating consistent commitment to his duties and passion for serving his shipmates and country,” said Petty Officer First Class Tise Maele, Jones’ current supervisor. “Through his dedication to protecting the safety and security of the nation’s waters from an early start in his career to upholding the administration of hundreds of Coast Guard members, Jones has earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues and superiors alike.”

Justin Jones is currently serving as a culinary specialist at Coast Guard Station Coos Bay in Coos Bay, Oregon.

Are you interested in busting drug traffickers, catching polluters, and saving lives? If you answered yes to those questions, then you’re ready for a job in the Coast guard. Click here for more information: Home Page | United States Coast Guard (gocoastguard.com)

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