James R. Jordan

Army command seargent major James R. Jordan (born 1957) is a soldier who made headlines on November 28, 2004, when he announced that he plans to stay in Iraq beyond his mandatory retirement date, to complete one year there with his brigade. He is also the brother of Michael Jordan, considered by many basketball fans to be the greatest basketball player in history.

Related Topics:
Army - 1957 - November 28 - 2004 - Iraq - Michael Jordan - Basketball

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

James R. Jordan was named after his father, James Jordan. He grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina. There, he decided that his future was in the United States armed forces. Jordan was active in the JROTC organization during his high school years, and, at the age of seventeen, in 1974, he joined the Army.

Related Topics:
James Jordan - Wilmington, North Carolina - United States - JROTC - High school - 1974

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While his brother became an instant celebrity with his playing style when he began to play for the NBA's Chicago Bulls, James R. Jordan soldiered on in relative obscurity. He made it a point not to speak much about his brother to fellow soldiers, afraid that his presence as Michael Jordan's brother would affect the other soldiers' concentration on their jobs. James R. Jordan also wanted to show other soldiers that, just because he was Michael Jordan's brother, he did not deserve special treatment from anyone. As a matter of a fact, colonel Bryan Ellis, his brigade's leader, commented that "He is completely selfless".

Related Topics:
NBA - Chicago Bulls - Bryan Ellis

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1993, his father James was murdered, allegedly by a couple of men who wanted to steal James Sr.'s Lexus sports coupe.

Related Topics:
1993 - Murder

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1996, James R. Jordan went on to airborne school. Over there, he joined soldiers who were, in their majority, teenagers or in their early twenties.

Related Topics:
1996 - Airborne school - Teenagers

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Army plans to honorably retire Jordan from his duties on April 29, 2005, when he would be returned home. Jordan, however, spoke to a Fayetteville Observer newspaper reporter that he planned to stay in Iraq beyond that date. The news broke out immediately, and Jordan became known across his home country.

Related Topics:
April 29 - 2005 - Fayetteville Observer - Newspaper

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jordan has been in the Army for almost 30 years, and the Army has a rule that soldiers must be retired once they reach 30 years of service.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Army has yet to announce a decision about Jordan's petition to stay serving in Iraq after he reaches thirty years as a soldier.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~