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Nate Jolliff proudly served active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps as a rifleman, guard duty and scout sniper from 1984 to 1988. 33 years after his service, Jolliff's life forever changed when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease as a result from his time at Camp Lejeune. Despite the diagnosis, Jolliff upholds a positive outlook on his journey and devotes his time advocating for veterans facing similar challenges. Jolliff's story is the latest in our 'I Am a Veteran' campaign.
The notion to join the armed forces came to Jolliff after hearing about the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings. The attack personally impacted Jolliff and he swiftly made the decision to join the Marine Corps at the age of 17. Due to his age at the time of enlisting, he was required to have his parents’ signatures which Jolliff soon realized would be difficult.
“My dad had no issue signing, but my mom got pretty emotional and wouldn’t sign for a bit,” said Jolliff. “Then she finally did — thanks, mom!”
Within his four years of service, Jolliff accomplished numerous goals such as graduating at the top of his class as a scout sniper and travelling around the world. Jolliff was deployed to Guam, Sweden, Japan and Germany before returning stateside.
In 1986, Jolliff was selected as security detail for a presidential visit from President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan.
“I stood there at attention as he walked by, but then he looked my way and saluted,” Jolliff recalled. “I will never forget that moment.”
At the age of 22, Jolliff was ready to return to civilian life and start a family. Soon after departing from the military, he met his wife, built a family together and worked in construction before receiving his college degree.
Years later, Jolliff would be given a life-changing diagnosis as a result from his military service.
In 2021, Jolliff was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — a neurodegenerative disease that directly impacts the central nervous system, causing involuntary movements such as muscle stiffness, tremors, impaired motor skills and postural instability.
“I started to experience some odd things happening with my body,” said Jolliff. “One of them was a twitch in my right hand or I’d be walking down a hallway and trip over nothing.”
As his symptoms progressed, Jolliff met with a neurologist where he was given the unexpected news. Jolliff and his family sought a second opinion with a movement disorder specialist who confirmed the diagnosis.
“It was a tough thing to hear and everything just started to black out,” Jolliff recalled. “The first person I called when I left the office was my mom.”
At first, Jolliff was not aware that the diagnosis was connected to his military service until he noticed television commercials warning about the water contamination at Camp Lejeune.
Decades after this service, Jolliff connected with the VA and was categorized as 100% permanently disabled.
He perseveres through the diagnosis by consistently exercising, becoming a board member at the Michigan Parkinson Foundation and getting involved with his local Marine Corps League.
“Exercise is the only known thing that slows the progression of Parkinson’s disease,” said Jolliff. “I train every day with Rock Steady Boxing which is boxing for people with Parkinson’s.”
Jolliff’s movement disorder specialist connected him with the Michigan Parkinson Foundation, where he eventually caught the eye of the CEO and was asked to join their board as a veteran advocate. Since then, Jolliff and Navy veteran, Marc Trail, co-launched the ‘Veterans with Parkinson’s Support Group’ in Jan. 2024 to provide a safe space for veterans to seek support.
“Many veterans living with Parkinson’s, like myself, look to the Michigan Parkinson Foundation to help them get better or at least make the journey manageable,” said Jolliff. “It’s almost therapy for me to talk with individuals facing similar challenges.”
He has also been with the Marine Corps League Macomb County Detachment 154 for over ten years and was recently elected as their senior vice commandant. In 2025, they hosted multiple fundraiser events and donated over $6,500 to various veteran and nonprofit organizations.
Despite the life-changing diagnosis, Jolliff holds no regrets regarding his military service and finds joy in giving back to his community.
“I loved serving my country and felt like I was doing my part to keep the world safe,” said Jolliff. “Having a positive outlook can go a long way towards getting you through pretty much any challenge, but it’s more than just saying it, it’s living it.”
To learn more about Parkinson's disease and how you can help, please visit The Michigan Parkinson Foundation.
