SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. — When Sgt. Nikolaus Jones stood proudly in his dress uniform at his Ranger School graduation, surrounded by his wife, daughter, brother and aging father, he didn’t yet know that moment would be one of their last together. He had just earned one of the Army’s most coveted tabs—but the man who inspired his sense of discipline, grit, and duty was fighting a silent battle of his own.
“My dad had been sick, and we didn’t think much of it at first,” said Jones, who serves with 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division. “They found a brain tumor, and his health began to deteriorate rapidly.”
Jones stayed the course. He returned to his unit, completed JRTC, and went on to Sniper School, where he and his partner outperformed nearly every team in their class. With his father’s condition worsening, Jones called home and asked if he should return. His mother’s response stayed with him.
“She said, ‘Whatever happens is going to happen. You being here won’t dramatically change that,’” Jones recalled.
It was a defining moment in a military journey shaped by service, loss, and quiet resilience.
Jones didn’t always know his father had served in the Army. The elder Jones, a finance officer during the Vietnam era, rarely spoke of it. “He never made it a big deal,” said Jones. “It wasn’t until I was 15 that I even learned he’d been in.”
But the military mindset was ever-present—timelines, structure, and an understanding of large-scale operations were baked into the Jones household. His brother followed suit, serving in the 7th Special Forces Group and deploying across Latin America. Jones, too, felt the call.
“I always wanted to serve,” he said. “It’s been in the back of my mind since I was 10.”
Jones enlisted in 2021 as an infantryman, but the road forward wasn’t easy. “My first two years were a string of bad luck,” he said. “Medical issues, missed schools, missed deployment. Then my daughter was born early, and I missed (Expert Infantry Badge).”
It would’ve been easy to quit, but Jones leaned into the grind. “Ranger School changed everything,” he said. “Graduating gave me the momentum I needed.”
That momentum led to Sniper School, where he excelled and graduated. Then came the Best Squad Competition—an event he never imagined himself participating in, let alone winning. In 2025, Jones’ team won their installation-level Best Squad title, and he was named NCO of the Year.
Jones sees service as a sacred obligation—one he hopes to pass on.
“I’ll expect my daughter and son to serve in some way,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be the Army. It could be EMS, law enforcement—anything where they give back and grow.”
Even in grief, Jones remained committed to that ideal. During a live-fire training exercise, he received the call that his father had passed. His first sergeant told him to step away. Jones stayed.
“It sounds strange, but I was okay,” he said. “Leaving wouldn’t bring him back. I had a job to do.”
His team completed the mission safely and successfully. Later, he returned home to honor his father with his family.
Jones’ advice to new Soldiers is simple: say yes.
“Opportunities don’t always come when it’s convenient,” he said. “But you have to say yes. That’s how you build momentum.”
He credits his success not to luck, but to stepping forward—even when things didn’t go his way.
“I’ve had support from my wife, my mother, my brother,” he added. “They’ve all made it possible for me to keep pushing forward.”
Jones continues competing at higher levels, including winning the U.S. Army Futures Command Best Squad Competition. But he carries with him more than training and titles—he carries a legacy.
“I’ve been able to put those first two years behind me,” he said. “Now it’s about continuing forward—and making my family proud.”