Nbadan
11-29-2004, 03:06 AM
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Army Command Sgt. Maj. James R. Jordan has much in common with his younger brother, retired basketball star Michael Jordan. He loves his job, believes in helping his team and expects maximum effort from those around him.
And like his brother, James Jordan likes to leave on his own terms. He has asked to stay in the Army for a year beyond his mandatory retirement date so he can complete a full yearlong deployment to Iraq with about 500 other members of the 35th Signal Brigade.
"We are currently at war," Jordan said before the unit started shipping out Sunday. "We are doing things, and it requires leaders to do certain things. That's what I am, a leader."
Under normal conditions, the 47-year-old Jordan would wind down his Army career in the spring as he approached the 30-year mark, but he has no intention of getting on an airplane April 29 and coming home.
"That's not the way you want to end a 30-year career," Jordan told The Fayetteville Observer
Chicago Tribune (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-jordans-brother-iraq,1,4554677.story?coll=chi-news-hed)
Even M.J. had the intestinal fortitude to finally call it quits. 47 years old and humping it in Iraq is no way to stay alive.
And like his brother, James Jordan likes to leave on his own terms. He has asked to stay in the Army for a year beyond his mandatory retirement date so he can complete a full yearlong deployment to Iraq with about 500 other members of the 35th Signal Brigade.
"We are currently at war," Jordan said before the unit started shipping out Sunday. "We are doing things, and it requires leaders to do certain things. That's what I am, a leader."
Under normal conditions, the 47-year-old Jordan would wind down his Army career in the spring as he approached the 30-year mark, but he has no intention of getting on an airplane April 29 and coming home.
"That's not the way you want to end a 30-year career," Jordan told The Fayetteville Observer
Chicago Tribune (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-jordans-brother-iraq,1,4554677.story?coll=chi-news-hed)
Even M.J. had the intestinal fortitude to finally call it quits. 47 years old and humping it in Iraq is no way to stay alive.