Jon Welch

Following his graduation from Mendon, Jon attended New York Maritime College in the Bronx, where he earned a Bachelors of Engineering in Marine Engineering and his Third Assistants Engineer License (issued by the Coast Guard for commercial shipping). At Maritime, Jon competed on both the Cross Country and Swim teams, and served in several top leadership roles in the College's regimental program. Jon participated in Maritime's Summer Sea Terms, which took him out to sea for two months each summer and enabled him to visit over 10 countries. After his graduation from Maritime, Jon was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. He spent nine months training in Quanitico, Virginia to become an infantry officer, prior to being assigned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. From NC, Jon deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom twice: once as a Rifle Platoon Commander in Karmah, Iraq, and a second time on a Military Transition Team, as an advisor to an Iraqi Army Battalion, in Ramadi, Iraq. In 2008, Jon returned to Northern Virginia, where he was promoted to captain and served as a General's Aide in Quantico for a year. He then became a Warfighting Instructor at The Basic School. The Basic School is a six month course required for all new Marine officers, which teaches them the basics of officership with a specific focus on the skills required of an infantry platoon commander. Jon currently serves as a Staff Platoon Commander where he directly responsible for the training of nearly 50 lieutenants through the six month course. Jon married Mendon classmate Jaime Jansen in 2008, and the couple bought their first house together in Alexandria, VA this past Spring. Jon has been an avid runner since he left Pittsford in 2000. He completed the Ontario Shore Marathon in 2002 and 2003, the Marine Corps Marathon in 2008 and the Bull Run Ultramarathon (50.4 miles) in 2009. He has also competed in several triathlons, and most recently, swam 4.4 miles across the Chesapeake Bay in a race.

email: jon.c.welch@gmail.com