U.S. Marine Travels from his Home in Africa to Earn the Eagle, Globe and Anchor

A U.S. Marine with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Africa 20.1, Marine Forces Europe and Africa, poses for a picture with members of Ghana Armed Forces at Burma Camp.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alexander Moes

By Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Africa 20.1 Public Affairs

Sgt. Anthony Amenyedor, a native of Ghana, spent his youth with his mother, father, uncle, three sisters, and six brothers in Tema, Ghana. As a young boy he was awestruck by the sharp Marine dress uniform with its distinctive “red blood stripe” on the trousers and the professionalism of the United States Marines visiting his home town. He too wanted to become a United States Marine.

As a young man, Amenyedor worked in his family’s logistics company. One day, in 2007, while working at the company computer a packet was delivered to his office with his name on it. To his surprise, Amenyedor read that he had won the green card lottery from the U.S. Embassy in Ghana. Amenyedor had indeed filled out an online application after seeing an advertisement to come live in the United States, but never thought he might actually be selected. Skeptical, Amenyedor travelled with his packet to the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, just in case he actually did win. Upon arrival a U.S Embassy employee had the privilege of being the first to congratulate young Anthony - he really won. “I had a million thoughts running through my head and could not believe it” said Amenyedor. At 27-years-old, he prepared for a new beginning in the United States of America.

Just one day after Amenyedor stepped on American soil he made his way to the Long Branch, New Jersey, Marine Corps Recruiting Office. He has now served in the United States Marine Corps for 11 years. Amenyedor currently serves as an electrician. He now calls Jacksonville, N.C., his home, where his Ghanaian wife, six year old son, and five year old daughter reside.

More recently, he serves as a Marine with the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa 20.1 (“20” for the fiscal year, “1” for the 1st rotation of the year), where he has had the opportunity to return to his birthplace in Ghana twice. During these two temporary assignments, Amenyedor served as the lead electrician in the African Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership Program at Burma Camp in Accra, Ghana. Amenyedor and his fellow U.S. Marines conducted training on equipment maintenance and transportation operations at the Ghanaian Armed Forces Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Technical Training School. Amenyedor was also provided the opportunity to return to his childhood home where he shared his story with fellow Marines of the SPMAGTF-CR-AF.

Amenyedor was able to provide invaluable support by interpreting the Twi language, enhancing U.S.-Ghanaian relationships and performing his electrician duties, in turn, bolstering SPMAGTF-CRAF’s ability to respond to missions and provide military support to U.S. embassies and partner nations.