APRIL 29, 2025 – Standing in front of a crowd of Soldiers—some his own, some who had come just to support him—then 1st Sgt. Jordan Hoffner wasn’t focused on himself.
At a ceremony traditionally reserved for celebrating the achievements of outgoing leaders, Hoffner, a Salem, Oregon native, instead chose to spotlight the hard work of his Soldiers. For Hoffner, success has never been about chasing the spotlight. It’s about the small, daily efforts that often go unseen but make all the difference in the end—a philosophy he carried into his leadership, and into his passion for running.
At his ceremony, he made sure to celebrate the everyday efforts and unseen victories of his formation, going so far as to call out and coin three specific Soldiers.
“Those Soldiers were with me for almost two years,” Hoffner said. “Those Soldiers were not expecting for me to see or say all those achievements they did. But now this will teach them to stay focused and work hard even when you think nobody is watching.”
That belief—that greatness is built quietly over time—would also fuel Hoffner’s journey to one of the toughest endurance races in the world: the Boston Marathon.
Hoffner, who spent most of his time in Hawaii as a first sergeant for the 25th Infantry Division’s Sustainment Brigade, had always been a decent runner, but like many Soldiers, he rarely ran more than a few miles at a time. It wasn’t until about three years ago that he became serious about long-distance running.
After months of focused training, Hoffner completed his first full marathon—the Honolulu Marathon—in 2022. But it was during his time at the 25th Infantry Division’s Jungle Operations Training Course that a new, more ambitious goal took root.
“There was a kid in jungle school that said I wouldn’t be able to do it because the qualifying times were too fast,” Hoffner said with a grin, “From that day forward I knew I was going to qualify for Boston.”
Hoffner knew he could finish a marathon, but qualifying for Boston meant a long road of focused training. Still, he insists the path is open to anyone willing to put in the work.
“There is a lot more science to running than people actually think,” Hoffner said, “Training for an event like this takes consistency, patience, and somebody else who knows what they’re doing.”
As a member of a couple different running groups, Hoffner is the only person to his knowledge to have qualified for Boston on Oahu. For him, it speaks to the difficulty of the challenge.
“Running a sub-three hour marathon isn’t easy,” Hoffner said, “I’m thirty-six years old. I think it proves that when somebody is set on something, you just go do it until you’re there.”
Although Hoffner encourages anyone to pursue similar challenges, he emphasized the importance of doing it right. He believes that people need to train smarter, not harder. Research and science backed programs offered by the Army like Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) and FM 7-22 have the answers anyone needs to get stronger and faster.
“Only hard work, consistency and patience will allow you to achieve your goals,” Hoffner said, “People want to quit after one week of not seeing results. Greatness takes time.”
A husband, father and leader, Hoffner hopes that his Soldiers, peers and family can take positive lessons away from his successes. Dedicating his race to his family, he aims to demonstrate to his daughter and his Soldiers just how well hard work can pay off.
Although Hoffner acknowledges the privilege that comes with being a first sergeant in his ability to train how he needs to, he challenges leaders across the force to provide the resources and time for their Soldiers, as well as Soldiers to find a way.
“Enlisted Soldiers don’t always have control over what they do. If you’ve got Soldiers who want to run the Honolulu Marathon but need more time running, help them figure out how and when they can do that,” Hoffner said. “We need leaders to take more from FM 7-22 and H2F even if they don’t practice it themselves—that way they can better guide and mentor Soldiers.”
Time, or lack thereof, is not an excuse to those who really want something, according to Hoffner.
“There is always time,” Hoffner said. “They might have to wake up early or sacrifice some things they don’t need, but they can find time.
For Hoffner, the lessons from marathon training aren’t just about physical endurance—they mirror a Soldier’s career in the Army.
“A careerist is a lot like a marathon,” Hoffner said. “You start slow, getting a feel for the Army without burning yourself out too early. Then you reach the halfway point—kind of like a half marathon. That’s when you take everything you’ve learned in the first half and push even harder to make the second half even more successful.”
In the same way marathoners ask themselves if they have the strength to go beyond the finish line, Hoffner believes Soldiers eventually face a choice: to push past what they thought were their limits, or to stop where they are comfortable.
After a long career in the military and the great accomplishment of completing the Boston Marathon, one might think that Hoffner has earned the right to rest on his laurels, but he has no intention of doing so. 26 miles later, one clear thought stood out to him as he collected his belongings and his hard-earned medal.
“What’s next?” Hoffner said.
Story by Sgt. Jared Simmons
25th Division Sustainment Brigade