I firmly believe that every single individual who comes through the ranks of the United States Military is given an opportunity to influence their environment. We all come from different walks of life which are crammed together within a uniformed unit for the duration of our service. With every passing cycle of new faces during turnover, (in which senior members of that particular unit exit the military or change commands) characters of old are replaced with new. There are always a certain number of individuals who immediately stand out from the crowd and I wrote this tribute to always remember one who was special to my unit.
Jaxon showed up at our company after completing a deployment cycle with his former East Coast unit along with multiple other Marines trying to catch the next deployment to the Middle East. This was in early 2015, right off the heels of our unit’s recent deployment to Afghanistan and peak ISIS hysteria circling the globe so the word was the getting was good for 7th Marines. Some of the East Coast guys kept to their own and tried to blend into their prospective platoons as best they could. Jaxon was quite a different story as he immediately found a home in 1st Platoon, where he quickly gained stardom. I don’t use this word lightly, because it isn’t typical for a singular character to have such a widespread impact on his peers so naturally.
This type of status is never given forcefully, or by sheer will of the command, you EARN it. There is no room for anything else.
The infantry is no place for lack of focus, motivation, or poor tactical/technical proficiency. For the three and a half years I was with our company Suicide Charley, I was able to train and observe some of the most tactically proficient warfighters you could ask for. Just so happened that Jaxon would blend naturally into his new squad as a well-functioning rifleman.
Jaxon proved his worth to our company by inserting himself as a leader and stout infantryman in the gun club. This would prove to be a testament to his character and judgment as an individual. Something I believe no one on Earth could ever replicate
You can’t help but smile with the guy when he starts f—ing with you, he was clever and used it accordingly. If he was in a bad mood, everyone else was probably miserable. It takes a lot of mental fortitude to deal with some of the monotonous testosterone-filled ass chewings, long missions, and military standards while keeping a smile. The morale always seems to go to an all-time low at some point during the deployment cycle but I could always see him try to crack a smile with someone.
I had the fortunate opportunity to hear closely how Jaxon was doing in the unit from the echoes of a buddy I had in 1st platoon and it sounded like he was quite the character. Smarta– comments would fly at a rapid rate behind the smile that was more recognizable than our uniforms. It really helps to have an unrelenting comedic presence within the unit as you are probably doing something that isn’t easy (ever) so laughing it off helps. Just offhand conversations the guy made me crack a smile each time even in passing.
Anytime that libo command sounded off he was the perfect candidate for a good time. Pictures circulate all over social media accounts this time of year of all the fun the dude had with his brothers. One can’t help but rejoice in the moment because each and every Marine had their own way of going out and having a good time with their crew. It’s bittersweet, but the annual appearance of these photos motivated me to write this as my way of sharing his legacy forever.
There probably isn’t a foolproof sentence to describe Jaxon and who he actually was as a person. If you filled it with descriptions such as a rad, gun-toting patriot with a love for freedom and an open road for his bike, you would only be scratching the surface. Deeper that you could tell he had a genuine heart and cared for those close to him. I was incredibly fortunate to work closely with Jaxon for a short period of time during our deployment which I appreciate to this day.
During that time I got to know someone who was anything but your typical dude. Jaxon had a passion for music in which we shared many conversations about our favorite songs during jam sessions in the hut with our broke-ass guitar. It was near the end of the deployment and in between or during smoke breaks, I got to know a little bit more about his favorite guns, cars, cigarettes, and adult beverages within no time. He liked to stay in shape, liked to crack a joke, and liked being a badass running with the best gun company in the Marine Corps.
After the military Jaxon married the woman of his dreams, who I have decided to leave anonymous to respect her privacy during this difficult time. The image featured at the top of this tribute is when Jaxon is gazing upon his wife on their wedding day… blissful happiness is all that is captured and I hope to honor that moment in the best way possible. If you happen to see this, just know he was truly an incredible human being and I hope someday you find balance in the pain and joy from his memory
Jaxon tragically passed away during a Motorcycle Accident in January of 2018. I don’t want the memory behind Jaxon to be only painful for those who were able to share a part of their life with him. I would like a place to trade laughs and stories from all the good that he was able to do for those around him. I certainly feel an emptiness around the thought of our dear friend, but his memory fuels the desire to do something bigger than myself, regardless of the perception of others.
He was such a good guy and I’m truly sorry for those closest to him, if you would like to leave a memory of Jaxon in the comments below please share with others a moment in which you will always remember our fallen Brother, Son, Husband, and Marine.
Robert Anderson – Suicide Charley 2013 – 2016