After years of rehabilitation, Jones developed a career in public service, media, and veterans’ advocacy. He joined Fox News Media as a contributor in 2019 and became a co-host of The Big Weekend Show. In May 2026, after being medically retired from active service, he reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve. His career has since connected military experience with public discussion about service, disability, and the needs of veterans.
Johnny “Joey” Jones at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Johnny “Joey” Jones |
| Known as | Joey Jones |
| Birthplace | Dalton, Georgia, United States |
| Profession | Marine veteran, television commentator, author, and speaker |
| Military branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Military specialty | Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) |
| Education | Georgetown University; bachelor’s degree completed in 2014 |
| Injury | Lost both legs above the knee after an IED explosion in Afghanistan on August 6, 2010 |
| Fox News role | Contributor; co-host of The Big Weekend Show |
| Books | Unbroken Bonds of Battle and Behind the Badge |
| Marine Corps status | Reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in May 2026 |
| Age | His exact birth date is not consistently established in the reliable sources reviewed |
Early life in Georgia
Jones grew up in Dalton, Georgia. After high school, he briefly attended Dalton State College and worked before deciding to enlist in the Marine Corps. In an interview with Coffee or Die, he described being influenced by people around him who had served in the military. The examples he encountered helped him imagine a life beyond his hometown and eventually led him to military service.
Jones enlisted in 2005. His first assignments involved communications and other duties before he pursued a more specialized role. A profile from Sentinels of Freedom notes that he served aboard the USS Rushmore and later deployed to Iraq. His early experience in the Marines exposed him to the structure and demands of military life, while his later transition into explosive ordnance work placed him in a particularly hazardous specialty.
Marine Corps service and EOD work
Jones served in Iraq in 2007 and 2008. After that deployment, he requested a move into Explosive Ordnance Disposal, commonly called EOD. EOD technicians locate, identify, and dispose of explosive hazards, including improvised devices. It is highly specialized work that requires technical training, careful procedures, and the ability to operate under dangerous conditions.
In 2010, Jones deployed to Afghanistan with an EOD unit. Sentinels of Freedom reports that he disarmed more than 85 IEDs during the deployment. On August 6, 2010, he stepped on an IED and was critically injured. The explosion caused the loss of both legs above the knee and also severely injured his arms and wrists. His friend and fellow service member Daniel Greer was killed in the blast, according to reporting by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The injury ended Jones’s work in the field, but it did not end his connection to the military or to other veterans. He spent an extended period recovering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. During that time, he began thinking about how veterans at different stages of recovery could support one another.
Recovery and support for wounded veterans
Jones’s rehabilitation involved learning to live with major physical injuries and adapting to life with prosthetic legs. He has spoken publicly about the importance of purpose, community, and support during recovery. At Walter Reed, he helped establish a peer-visit program in which veterans further along in their recovery could spend time with newly injured service members.
Peer support can offer something different from clinical care. A veteran who has already faced rehabilitation may be able to share practical experience and provide reassurance to someone who is just beginning that process. Jones’s work in this area became an early part of his post-injury public service.
He later completed a fellowship with the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and continued his education. Jones graduated from Georgetown University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies, with a focus on social and public policy, according to Sentinels of Freedom. His education and congressional experience gave him additional ways to engage with veterans’ issues, including through policy and public communication.
Veterans’ advocacy and public service
Jones has worked with veterans’ organizations and spoken about the challenges faced by service members returning to civilian life. His advocacy has included supporting wounded veterans, sharing stories about military service, and helping raise awareness of the needs of military families. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has described his work on behalf of fellow veterans and documented home modifications made to improve accessibility after his injury.
His public work has also emphasized the relationships formed during military service. His first book, Unbroken Bonds of Battle, focuses on people who served and the connections built through shared experiences. Rather than making his own injury the only subject, Jones has said that he wanted the book to spotlight the stories of others who served alongside him.
Fox News and television career
Jones joined Fox News Media as a contributor in 2019. Fox says he provides military analysis across Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, and Fox Nation. He has discussed military affairs, veterans’ issues, national security, and current events on the network.
He also co-hosts The Big Weekend Show, a Fox News Channel program. Television commentary has given Jones a national platform, but it is distinct from his military service and veterans’ advocacy. As a commentator, he offers opinions and analysis based partly on his experience; viewers should distinguish those contributions from straight news reporting.
Jones has also hosted programs for Fox Nation and a podcast for Fox News Audio. His on-camera role reflects a broader transition from military service to public communication. In interviews, he has discussed the adjustment involved in moving from a structured military career into media, speaking, and nonprofit work.
Books and writing
Jones is the author of Unbroken Bonds of Battle, published in 2023. The book gathers accounts of service and friendship among military personnel. Its central focus is the relationships people build through shared responsibility and risk.
In 2025, Jones published Behind the Badge: Answering the Call to Serve on America’s Homefront. The book focuses on first responders and the motivations behind their work. Together, the books extend his writing beyond his own military history to the experiences of people who serve in different capacities.
Reenlisting in the Marine Corps Reserve
In May 2026, Jones reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve after more than a decade away from uniform. He had been medically retired after his injury. Reports from the Pentagon and Fox News said he would contribute to work related to Marine Corps EOD policy rather than return to field bomb-disposal duties.
Jones described the decision as a way to continue serving and to address unfinished business. His return is notable because it reconnects his post-service work with the organization in which he began his adult career. His experience as an EOD technician and as a wounded veteran gives him first-hand knowledge relevant to supporting service members and improving military practices.
Personal life
Jones has spoken about the role his family played in his recovery and has referred to his children as an important source of motivation. He tends to discuss family in the context of his public story rather than making private details a central part of his media profile. This biography focuses on information reported by established sources and does not include unverified personal claims.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Johnny “Joey” Jones?
Johnny “Joey” Jones is a Marine Corps veteran, EOD technician, Fox News contributor, author, and advocate for veterans. He was injured by an IED in Afghanistan in 2010 and later built a career in media and public service.
What happened to Joey Jones in Afghanistan?
On August 6, 2010, Jones stepped on an IED while deployed in Afghanistan. The explosion resulted in the loss of both legs above the knee and serious injuries to his arms and wrists.
Is Joey Jones still in the Marine Corps?
Jones reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in May 2026 after having been medically retired. Reports say his reserve work is connected to EOD policy and support, not field bomb-disposal operations.
What does Joey Jones do at Fox News?
He is a Fox News contributor who provides military analysis and co-hosts The Big Weekend Show.
Did Joey Jones attend Georgetown University?
Yes. He completed a bachelor’s degree at Georgetown University in 2014.
What books has Joey Jones written?
His books include Unbroken Bonds of Battle (2023) and Behind the Badge: Answering the Call to Serve on America’s Homefront (2025).
How old is Joey Jones?
The reliable sources reviewed for this article did not establish a consistent confirmed birth date. His exact age is therefore not stated here.
Final Word
Johnny “Joey” Jones’s biography includes military service, a life-changing injury, rehabilitation, education, veterans’ advocacy, writing, and television work. His 2026 reenlistment added a new chapter by bringing him back into the Marine Corps Reserve in a support role connected to EOD policy. His public career continues to draw on the experiences he gained in uniform and during recovery, while giving him a platform to discuss service and the lives of veterans.