Jesse Leonard: Serving His Country After Standing Out On The Gridiron

When it comes to Jesse Leonard, being protective has always come naturally. Whether it was being the last line of defense on the football field or serving as a member of the United States Marine Corps (USMC), Leonard has learned to adapt to and excel at whatever endeavors he undertakes.

As a halfback and safety on the Shore Regional High School football team from 1999-2002, Leonard led the Blue Devils to an 8-2 record, while also securing All-Shore and All-Division honors at safety during his senior season. Some other senior honors Leonard attained included being appointed team captain and being named the team’s “Best Defensive Back” by the coaching staff.  

After graduating from Shore Regional, Leonard attended Delaware Valley College, a Division III school in Doylestown, Pa., and was named to the All-Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Third Team for his play at strong safety during his freshman year.

Little did he know it at the time, but that would be the last season of college football he would play.

In March 2005, Leonard put his college studies on hold and hung up his football cleats to enlist in the Marine Corps. As a corporal stationed with Echo Battery 2/10, Leonard served from June 2005 to June 2009.

He completed 13 intense weeks of boot camp training at the USMC training facility, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina during the summer of 2005. Leonard then completed Marine Combat Training before being stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. During his time in the Marine Corps, Leonard also traveled to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Twentynine Palms, Calif., Fort Polk, La., and Fort Brag, N.C.

“I felt like it was something I needed to do, for myself and for the country,” said Leonard about his decision to join the Marines. ”The Iraq war was at its height and I had friends over there already.”

Currently, Leonard, a decorated Marine who was awarded a Navy Achievement Medal for combat valor, a Purple Heart and a Good Conduct Medal during his tenure, is on inactive reserve duty for two more years. However, he does miss a few things about his time in the Marine Corps.

“What I enjoyed most about my time in the U.S. Marine Corps was the brotherhood and the traveling,” Leonard said. “I got to go places and see things that I could never imagine, and I got to do it with great people.”

Upon his return home from combat, Leonard quickly gravitated back to the gridiron, this time as defensive backs coach under head football coach Shane Fallon at Rumson-Fair Haven High School.

“I enjoy teaching and showing the kids what I learned and know,” Leonard said.

But being on the opposite side of the longstanding and heated rivalry between Shore and Rumson-Fair Haven had to be difficult for Leonard to deal with, right?

“Not at all," Leonard said. "Things change as you grow. Any opportunity to be involved and teach is great."

A member of the Bulldogs’ coaching staff since 2009 who also works at Fort Dix as a combat instructor, Leonard is taking the upcoming football season off to finish school. He is scheduled to graduate from Monmouth University in December with a degree in Political Science and Information Technology. 

 “My long term goal is to get a government job, hopefully doing some sort of intelligence work for the Defense Intelligence Agency, and then a career in politics to hopefully right the ship in Washington, D.C.,” Leonard said.