Subscribe
MARINE CORPS AIR-GROUND COMBAT CENTER, Calif. – Growing up Jaren Egan would read books about the Marine Corps and play video games like Call of Duty, where in some levels you could play as the Marines in settings like Fallujah.
Although he was deeply influenced by books and games, it was his great-grandfather’s stories that left the deepest impression.
“He was a Navy radio operator during the Korean War, and he spoke with deep respect about the Marines he worked alongside,” he said. “Hearing his stories and seeing how much he respected them really inspired me.”
Cpl. Egan, an infantry rifleman and squad leader from Layton, Utah, has realized his dream as he deploys to Okinawa, Japan, with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program.
The UDP is a system for assigning deployments of the United States Marine Corps to the Western Pacific for approximately six months, where the Marines will receive intense training and experience to increase their tactical and technical abilities while overall capability and lethality will be maximized.
“This deployment will return these Marines and Sailors with leadership experience, physical fitness, and a greater appreciation for the freedom and opportunities afforded to citizens of the United States of America” said Lt. Col. Davis Gooding III, commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division.
Egan, despite early influences, did not initially plan to join the military. After high school he pursued college with aspirations of becoming a physical therapist or athletic trainer but after a year of college he realized that path wasn’t for him. It wasn't until a conversation with a friend who had plans to join the Marine Corps that became the catalyst for changing his career path.
“When he was talking about all the benefits of joining the military, it sparked my interest, and it just kept having me think about the Marine Corps.” he said.
“I admit it was kind of spur of the moment to join the Marines,” he said. “But once I decided, it felt right. When I went to the recruiter, it only felt right to be in a combat arms MOS,” said Egan. “But the (Marine Corps) Reserve felt as if I could pursue my life goals as well, it just felt like it made sense.”
When Egan told his family about his decision, their reactions were mixed.
He recalled his mother was anxious when he told her he was joining the infantry. She feared he might end up in a dangerous situation, but he felt it was a path he needed to take.
His father challenged him to make an informed decision, emphasizing the importance of choosing a path you feel you are called to do.
“My dad talked to me about how I had this whole plan, but I was drifting off of it,” he said when reminiscing about his initial plan to go to college with a major in physical sciences. “Really just make the most of the Marine Corps, strive to be the best and find value in everything that could better you as a person while in.
He reminded me to weigh the pros and cons,” Egan continued. “He wanted to make sure I saw value in the Marine Corps and believed it would make me a better person.”
Ultimately, while his family had their reservations, they supported his decision.
Life in the Marine Corps Reserve hasn’t been without hurdles. Before his current deployment, Egan worked as a youth mentor coach at a boarding school. There, he formed close bonds with the boys in his care, while encouraging their growth and confidence to make them independent and successful.
“Leaving them behind was difficult,” he said. “They weren’t happy about me leaving. It felt weird to think I might not see them again, but I hoped I’d made a positive impact on their lives.”
As Egan prepares for a six month-long deployment to Okinawa, he views it as both a challenge and an opportunity.
“I want to develop myself better as a team leader and hopefully become a squad leader,” he says. “I’m eager to train with allied forces, experience new cultures, and embrace the opportunities for growth that deployment offers. Traveling and seeing different sides of the world has always been something I’ve enjoyed.”
To further prepare for the deployment, 2nd Battalion 23rd Marine Regiment have been practicing urban raid exercises from raid fundamentals as a squad, all the way to full-scale company-level urban raid attacks. Egan and his team breached buildings for his squad, clearing rooms and maintaining secured locations for his platoon to engage the simulated adversaries.
While he’s taking his Marine Corps career one enlistment at a time, Egan is open to the possibility of making it a long-term commitment.
“Right now, the plan is to re-enlist,” he says. “I’d like to do the full 30 years and earn the benefits, but we’ll see where life takes me.”
From childhood dreams to the realities of service, Corporal Egan’s journey into the Marine Corps is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and an unwavering sense of duty. As he embarks on this deployment, he carries with him the lessons of his past and the hope of forging a brighter future—for himself, his squad, and the legacy of the Marine Corps Reserve.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who We Are: The United States Marine Corps Reserve is responsible for providing trained units and qualified individuals for mobilization to active duty in time of war, national emergency, and crisis or contingency operations. On a day-to-day basis, Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES) consists of a talented and dedicated pool of nearly 100,000 Marines able to augment the Active Component in a myriad of ways, to include operational deployments, support to training, participation in bi/multi-lateral exercises with partner nations and allies, and service-level experimentation in support of Force Design and refinement of new concepts, tactics, techniques, and procedures.
| Date Taken: | 01.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.27.2025 13:12 |
| Story ID: | 489454 |
| Location: | TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | LAYTON, UTAH, US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Marine’s dreams come to life in the Marine Corps Reserve, by LCpl Orion Stpierre, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
