Major Jordan Ames is currently the Executive Director for Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania.  He is a 21-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps.  Maj Ames is from the Harrisburg area and is a 2001 graduate of Central Dauphin East High School.  He began his active-duty career two weeks after graduating high school and retired on July 1, 2022.

Maj Ames served in the enlisted ranks for 10 years before accepting an officer’s commission.  He served at the Presidential Retreat, Camp David as a security guard followed by service with 2d Force Reconnaissance Company and 2d Marine Special Operations Battalion in Camp Lejeune, NC.  He deployed once to Operation IRAQI FREEDOM as a Force Recon Marine and once to Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as a Marine Special Operator before attending Penn State University as part of an enlisted-to-commissioning program.

Upon receiving his commission as an officer, Maj Ames became an infantry officer and served with 2d Battalion, 2d Marines, 2d Marine Division in Camp Lejeune.  After two deployments to the European Combatant Command area of responsibility, he returned to Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command (MARSOC).  Maj Ames is the first Marine to have served as a special operator with MARSOC in the enlisted ranks and then return as an officer to serve as a Special Operations Officer.  He returned to 2d Marine Raider Battalion (redesignated from the former “2d Marine Special Operations Battalion” to retain their legacy from the Marine Raiders of World War II) and was given the assignment as Team Commander, Marine Special Operations Team (MSOT) 8213.  He deployed with MSOT 8213 to the country of Jordan to train, advise, and assist the Jordanian Special Forces (JORSOF).  Maj Ames deployed on his sixth and final deployment to Afghanistan in October 2019 to serve as the aide de camp to the Deputy Commanding General, Special Operations Joint Task Force—Afghanistan.

Maj Ames holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from Penn State University and a Master’s degree in History from Millersville University.  He is married to the former Sarah Snyder of Rutherford.  They are the proud parents of seven children, six of which they adopted.  One son, Corporal Benjamin Ames, is currently serving as a Marine embassy security guard with the Marine Security Augmentation Unit at Quantico, VA as part of the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group.  Following that assignment, the Marine Corps will assign him to an infantry battalion.