Joe Cardona knew that the military may someday need him, and it sounds like that realization could come to light this offseason.
According to Yahoo! Sports, Cardona, who is a supply corps officer in the US Navy, said Monday night that his unit may be called on to travel to South Korea to take part in a joint forces operation.
With tensions in the Korean Peninsula escalating, Cardona revealed that there’s a possibility he’ll be heading there in the not too distant future.
“There’s a chance I’ll be traveling over there,” said Cardona. “We’ll see.”
Cardona reportedly started working with the Navy on this operation last offseason and reinlisted back in August in a ceremony he held during training camp. Tom Brady and other teammates reportedly took part in their practice gear, while Cardona wore his uniform and ran the ceremony.
The uncertainty surrounding his future certainly could leave New England in a tough spot. Cardona has been terrific since being selected out of Navy in the 5th round (166th overall) back in 2015, bringing stability to one of the positions that Bill Belichick values highly. It’s a position he’s targeted over the years, bringing in players like Lonie Paxton and others, with Belichick knowing how important it is to have a capable player back there ensuring the operation runs smoothly given that one bad special teams play can often change the course of the game.
Fortunately, that hasn’t been an issue as Cardona’s been flawless during his time here, and as concerning as this situation might be, Belichick likely knew what he was getting into when he selected the Naval Acadamy graduate. Regardless of what the future might hold, he’s most certainly proud of not only what Cardona has done, but what he represents as an individual off the field.
While the Patriots are known for being prepared for any situation on the field, Cardona’s taking the same approach in his second career, which depending on how things play out, could come calling.
“It’s being prepared for whatever they could call you to do,” said Cardona. “If they call you to Korea, you have to work in seamlessly with your unit.”
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Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
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