Jon French

Hometown: UP, MI
Branch of Service: US Army
Rank: Sergeant First Class
Memberships: MOPH, American Legion, VFW
Awards: Purple Heart
Theater: OEF

Jon French grew up on a farm in Michigan’s rural farming country. His passion for the outdoors was fostered by his parents who actively took him and his siblings hunting, fishing and made sure they spent a lot of time in the outdoors. Jon graduated with a BS and MS in civil engineering and played Division 1 varsity hockey for Michigan Technological University. He enlisted as a combat engineer in the Michigan Army National Guard. Along with several men in his unit, he was wounded in action during an enemy engagement on July 19, 2009 in Afghanistan’s RC East region when he was struck in the chest with a rocket propelled grenade (RPG).

Jon medically retired out of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. He attributes his mental and emotional recovery to his family, friends, and support from the local community; time spent outdoors hunting, fishing; and helping other veterans. Serving as a WWIA Guide, Jon hopes his military brothers and sisters will also benefit from the camaraderie and time spent in the outdoors as much he has.

He currently lives with his wife and two sons in Michigan’s Western Upper Peninsula, where he works as a civil engineer/project manager, a farrier (trims and shoes horse hooves) and engineered/manufactures/distributes the French Visually Impaired Sighting System (a firearm sighting system for visually impaired outdoorsmen/women). Jon is also a certified State of Michigan Hunter Safety Program instructor and a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), VFW and the American Legion.