Did John Cena Serve in the Military?

Q: Did John Cena Say What Date He Will Retire?

In July 2024, during WWE's Money in the Bank event in Toronto, Cena made a surprise cameo shocking fans. However, his reason for being there was even more surprising. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzes2Czv-4M Cena has decided to retire in 2025 from wrestling while focusing on his acting career that continues to grow with films with franchises ranging from The Fast and the Furious, Barbie, a host of rom-coms, and evenLooney Tunes. It’s still unsure exactly when Cena will leave the ring for good but when he does, we can only hope that he continues to come back in some capacity as an elite showman and fan favorite. We don’t know if he’s going to be back in the ring once he retires, and it’s clear that any misconceptions about being in the military are cleared up now as well. But one thing that feels safe to say is that so long as he has a voice, and platform, and is capable of doing so, John Cena will support our military regardless of where his career takes him. Suggested reads: A Clos

By Buddy Blouin

Published: August 12, 2024 at 12:11 PM EDT

Updated: April 9, 2026 at 7:46 PM EDT

COMMENT

Kurt Angle issued a challenge to which John Cena responded and ultimately lost his fight in 2002. Since then, the world hasn’t seen him. However, we’ve still watched one of the biggest modern wrestling icons go from a minor movie star, to a main attraction, to a blockbuster box office draw. But many may have a misconception about Cena’s military record, for a number of reasons. As we’re counting down the days before he retires from WWE, let's break down John Cena’s relationship with our military.

Was John Cena a Marine?

John Cena has never served in the U.S. Marine Corps or any branch of the military; however, there has often been a misconception that he is a Veteran. There are a few reasons this might be, including the fact that Cena has talked about a consideration of serving. This was before he ended up launching a great wrestling career. Throughout his career, Cena has also unintentionally added to this misconception by way of his wrestling persona. It’s very common to see salutes and other tributes to the U.S. military as Cena is a staunch supporter of our troops. However, one of the biggest reasons people think he was in the military, most specifically, a Marine, is due to his debut movie in 2006, The Marine, where he plays a Devil Dog looking to save his wife after she is kidnapped.

Supporting Our Troops

John Cena is known for giving back to the troops. Frankly, as the world record holder of the most granted wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Cena simply loves giving back to everyone. However, because of his participation in the WWE's annual Tribute to the Troops, he has also remained closely tied with the American Armed Forces. Cena has also helped the military community by partnering with the FitOps Foundation to fight back against the risk of suicide for Veterans. John Cena in military service directly may not ever be something we see but he has proven throughout his career that the American Armed Forces deserve admiration.