Rob Jones is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Combat Engineer, Paralympic athlete, author, and leadership instructor with Echelon Front, who brings one of the most powerful and personal demonstrations of Extreme Ownership to every team he works with.
Rob spent five years in the Marine Corps, deploying to Iraq in 2008 and Afghanistan in 2010. As a Combat Engineer, Rob specialized in detecting hidden Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to protect his team from the enemy’s most deadly weapons. In July of 2010, during combat operations in the Battle of Sangin, Afghanistan, Rob stepped on an IED. He lost both legs above the knee.
Rob’s journey is more than a story of personal recovery; it is an example of Extreme Ownership in action. Rob could not control what happened or what came next, so he took ownership of the only thing he could: his attitude.
That mindset became the foundation of everything that followed. He competed in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, earning a bronze medal in rowing. In 2013, he became the first double above-knee amputee to bicycle across the United States, covering 5,181 miles from Maine to Camp Pendleton. In 2017, he completed 31 marathons in 31 consecutive days across 31 different cities.
As a leadership instructor with Echelon Front, Rob brings his lived experience to help people recognize that ownership starts within. His engaging and authentic approach guides leaders to see how their leadership can transform unimaginable challenges.
Rob is the author of Put Your Legs On, a memoir documenting his journey from the battlefield to the Paralympic podium and beyond. When he isn't working with teams, Rob remains dedicated to physical training and developing the leaders around him – notably his two children.