U.S. Marine participates in international exercise

Photo By Sgt. Timothy Hernandez | U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jennie Kordus stands at Five Hills Training Area, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, June 17, 2019. Kordus, a Green River, Wyoming, native, is a military police officer with 3rd Law Enforcement Battalion, stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and is participating in Khaan Quest 2019, a multinational peacekeeping exercise, from June 14-28. Khaan Quest helps show the importance of equal participation of women in peacekeeping operations. Their involvement is vital to preventing conflict and moderating violent extremism, countering terrorism and resolving conflict, and building post-conflict or crisis peace and stability. (U.S. Marine Corps illustration by Cpl. Timothy Hernandez; this image is a portrait composite created through the Brenizer method)  

ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA

06.17.2019

Story by Cpl. Timothy Hernandez 

3rd Marine Division     

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jennie Kordus, a Green River, Wyoming, native, is a military police officer with 3rd Law Enforcement Battalion, stationed in Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, and is participating in Khaan Quest 2019 at Five Hills Training Area, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from June 14-28.

Q: What made you want to join the Marine Corps?

A: “Prior to enlisting, I wanted to go to medical school. Medical school was too expensive, especially for my family, and I didn’t want to burden them with that. I started looking at other opportunities for myself, and that's when I really started looking into the military. I had heard about them paying for schooling, so I talked to a recruiter.”

Q: What made you want to be military police?

A: “I started looking into the jobs the military offered and I knew I wanted to do something that translated to the civilian world easily. One day, I was scrolling on Facebook and I saw a picture of a [military working dog]. My recruiter was asking me what I wanted to be, so I told him [military police]. We go through all the steps, and six years later, here I am.”

Q: How do you enjoy being a military police officer?

A: “I really like my job. My first four years in the Marine Corps, I spent guarding the Presidential Helicopter Squadron. The 3rd LE [Bn.] is my first field unit. I’ve learned a lot in the two years I’ve been here. I’m getting ready to rotate out to go to personal security. I love how diverse our job is. You have a lot to learn and a lot of places to go.”

• Date Taken: 06.17.2019
• Date Posted: 06.17.2019 22:15
• Story ID: 327870
• Location: ULAANBAATAR, MN
• Hometown: GREEN RIVER, WY, US