You’ve probably seen him on TV. Johnny "Joey" Jones is the guy with the quick wit, the Georgia accent, and the prosthetic legs that he wears like a badge of honor. Most people know him as a Fox News contributor or a guy who writes books about veteran bonds. But when you start looking into johnny joey jones military awards, you find a story that isn't just about medals on a chest. It's about a specific kind of bravery that happens in the dirt, five seconds before a loud noise changes everything.
Honestly, we focus a lot on the hardware. We want to know if a guy has a Silver Star or a Medal of Honor. With Joey Jones, the list of decorations tells the story of an EOD technician—a bomb disposal expert—who spent his career looking for things designed to kill him. It’s a weird job. You walk toward the danger while everyone else is running away.
The Decorations You’ll See on His Record
If you look at his formal service record, you’ll see the standard stack of a seasoned Marine. He reached the rank of Staff Sergeant ($SSgt$) before his medical retirement. That’s a big deal in the Marine Corps; it means he was a leader of Marines, not just a technician.
Here is what he actually earned:
The Purple Heart
This is the one nobody ever wants to "win." You don’t get it for being a hero; you get it because the enemy drew blood. In Joey's case, it was a massive IED in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan on August 6, 2010. That day cost him both of his legs above the knee.
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat "V"
This is a mouthful, but the "V" is the most important part. It stands for Valor. It’s awarded for heroism or meritorious service in a combat environment. For an EOD tech, this usually means they did something incredibly dangerous under fire, likely disarming a device that was actively threatening a unit.
Combat Action Ribbon (CAR)
In the Marine Corps, the CAR is a point of pride. You don't get it for just being in a "combat zone." You get it because you were actively engaged by the enemy. It's proof that you were in the fight.
Outstanding Military Community Service Medal
This one is interesting. It speaks to who Joey was even before the cameras started rolling. It’s awarded to members of the Armed Forces who distinguish themselves by exceptional community service to the civilian community.
The Reality of the EOD Life
Being an Explosive Ordnance Disposal tech is basically playing high-stakes chess with an opponent who wants to blow you up. During his last deployment to Afghanistan, Jones and his team rendered safe or destroyed nearly 80 IEDs. Think about that for a second.
Eighty times, he stood over a pile of explosives and "won."
Then came the 81st.
He was in Safar, a town in the Helmand Province. It was a brutal area. He had just disarmed a device and was talking to his security partner, Corporal Daniel Greer. When Joey stepped away from a wall, he hit a secondary buried IED. He describes it as "cartwheeling through the air." He remained conscious enough to see that his legs were gone and that his right arm was shattered.
Life After the Uniform
Most people think the story ends with the injury and the medals. For Joey, it was just the start of a second career that brought even more recognition. He didn't just sit in a hospital bed. He went to Georgetown. He started walking on "robot legs." He basically forced his way into the rooms where decisions were made.
In 2021, the National Purple Heart Honor Mission gave him the Genesis Legacy Medal. It’s an award that recognizes Purple Heart recipients who have done something extraordinary after their service.
He’s also picked up some non-military hardware recently. In 2025, he was awarded the John R. "Tex" McCrary Award for Excellence in Journalism at the Patriot Award Gala. Gary Sinise emceed the event. It’s a long way from the dirt of Helmand to a black-tie gala in Tennessee, but Joey tends to treat both with the same level of blunt honesty.
What Most People Miss
The medals are great for a bio, but they don't capture the "Alive Day" tradition. Every August 6th, Joey celebrates the day he didn't die. He often points out that while he lost his legs, his friend Daniel Greer lost his life. He carries that weight. He’s mentioned in interviews that he feels he owes it to Greer to live a life that’s "worthy" of the sacrifice.
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If you’re researching his awards for a project or just because you’re a fan, remember that the johnny joey jones military awards are symbols of a very specific eight-year window. He served as a machine gunner in Iraq first, then did the lateral move to EOD. That’s a lot of "boots on the ground" time.
Moving Forward With This Info
If you want to support the causes Joey talks about, you should look into the Boot Campaign or Camp Southern Ground. He’s heavily involved in both. They focus on the "Warrior Week" concept, helping veterans transition from the high-adrenaline world of combat to the (sometimes boring) world of civilian life.
Understanding a veteran's awards is one thing, but understanding the cost behind them is another. You can look up the official citations if you want the dry, military jargon. But the real story is in the recovery.
To keep tabs on his latest work or his advocacy for EOD technicians specifically, follow his columns on Fox News or check out his book Unbroken Bonds of Battle. It dives deep into the stories of the men he served with—the guys who were there when the medals were actually earned.
Next Steps
You should check out the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor website if you want to see how Joey’s story fits into the larger history of combat-wounded veterans. It's a great resource for seeing the actual citations and the sheer volume of sacrifice since the award's inception.