Marine Corps experience influences future restaurant owner

News: Marine Corps experience influences future restaurant owner

Regional Command Southwest

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Story by Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr Subscribe To This Journalist

Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr

Sergeant Jonathan Colobono, a food service specialist, places biscuits in a pan in preparation for the upcoming dinner rush on Forward Operating Base Sabit Qadam, Afghanistan, Nov. 1. Currently serving with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 7, Colobono is on his third combat deployment and has aspirations of owning his own restaurant.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SABIT QADAM, Afghanistan – When deciding his job in the Marine Corps, Sgt. Jonathan Colobono decided to go with something that would help him achieve his lifelong goal.

“I like cooking for people. I’m a people person,” said Colobono, a food service specialist with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 7. “In the long run, I can open up my own restaurant. I figured I should choose a job that I am going to use later.”

Born in Palmdale, Calif., Colobono found himself in the Philippines at an early age before heading back to the United States.

“I was born in California, but my Mom was just starting her life in America,” said Colobono, 27. “She sent me home to the Philippines, and I was raised by my grandmother. When she passed away in ’94, I came back.”

Once back stateside, he led a typical life through high school. Then Colobono decided to join the Marine Corps despite a family tradition of service in the Navy.

“My uncle was a chief in the Navy, and so was my godfather,” said Colobono. “They thought I should join the Navy, but I wanted something different.”

And that is what he chose, something different.

“Honestly it was the challenge. I wanted to see if I could do it,” he added. “Eight and a half years later I’m still doing the same thing. It’s been fun.”

The Marine Corps has taken Colobono to quite a few places and given him chances to do things he might not have done anywhere else.

“It was Iraq twice, then to Boston for recruiting, then to Japan for the (Marine Expeditionary Unit) and now Afghanistan,” said Colobono.

“The Marine Corps has given me chances to see that opportunities are out there, you just have to be smart enough to take them,” added Colobono. “Most kids go to college when they’re 18,19 years old, and they don’t really take advantage of life.”

Through the Marine Corps, Colobono has taken advantage of life and grasped those opportunities given to him. He plans to turn the experience he has gained from the Marine Corps into his dream, a restaurant.