Georgia Native Meg Jones Finds Tremendous Pride In Choosing To Support Military Community 24-7 By Barry Smith Boot Campaign
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fter earning a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education in 2010 from her hometown Dalton State College, it never occurred to Meg Garrison that two years later she would forge a new path where she would be spending her life, 24/7, serving the military community. But that is exactly the life that this selfless Georgia native chose for herself after she came to the aid of an injured childhood friend in his time of need. Garrison is now Meg Jones, the spouse of combatwounded U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant and EOD Technician (Ret.) Johnny “Joey” Jones. She also is a stepmother to nine-year-old Joseph Jones, and the Programs Director with the Texas-based national military nonprofit Boot Campaign. Meg met her husband-to-be at Southeast High School in Dalton in 2003, and upon graduation, she headed off to college and he was off to a career in the Marines.
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HOMELAND / April 2019
Meg and Joey were not in a relationship on Aug. 6, 2010 when Joey stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan, resulting in the loss of both of his legs above the knee and suffered severe damage to his right forearm and both wrists. After learning of the injury, Meg found herself in Washington D.C. and began helping Joey battle through two grueling years of recovery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The couple were married in the nation’s capital at Marine Corps Barracks 8th & I in 2012, and since then she has had a fast and furious education into the military community ever since. “Because Joey and I were not in a relationship at the time of his injury I didn’t have any experience with the military community or lifestyle,” recalls Jones. “Throughout his recovery, I was not only quickly learning how to take care of an amputee but also learning the lifestyle and structure of the military. Thankfully, I had fellow EOD technician wives Caroll Tarter and Sarah Lucas to help mentor and guide me through that process. Without their friendship and guidance, I would have really struggled.”