Submitted photoNASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Jennifer Jo Cobb, left, honored East Mississippi Community College humanities instructor Marilyn Ford Oct. 14 at Talladega during the Fred’s 250 truck series playoff. Ford was honored for her military service as a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps.

MAYHEW — East Mississippi Community College humanities instructor Marilyn Ford was standing in the middle of the track at the Talladega Superspeedway with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Jennifer Jo Cobb on Saturday, Oct. 14, when the national anthem was played.

“It was way cool,” said Ford, a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps, whose service was recognized by the Driven 2 Honor organization, which was founded in 2011 by Cobb to honor, inspire and empower the nation’s female military members.

Driven 2 Honor is a nonprofit corporation that provides financial assistance to organizations that cater to the needs of homeless veterans, according to agency’s website. Since its founding, the organization has saluted the contributions of hundreds of former and active duty female members of the military.

Ford was recognized on the track during driver announcements for the Fred’s 250, which was round six of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ Playoff. She visited pit road and watched the race from atop Cobb’s pit box. Ford also had her picture taken with Cobb on the track, with the pair standing in front of the driver’s number 10 truck.

“I got to spend time with Jennifer before the race,” Ford said. “She is an amazing woman. She had a top-20 finish that day. It was a wonderful experience.”

Ford, who has taught creative writing, literature and English at EMCC for 21 years, joined the Marines in December of 1984 during her freshman year at Mississippi University for Women.

“A friend of mine wanted to join and she dragged me to the recruiting office with her,” Ford said. “It sounded like a challenge so I raised my right hand and joined, too.”

Ford graduated with honors from boot camp at the Marine Recruit Depot at Parris Island, S.C., and initially trained at Camp Geiger, N.C., to drive transport trucks weighing up to 10 tons.

A member of the Marine Reserves, Ford completed her bachelor’s degree in English at MUW before she was called to active duty, serving as a message carrier and administrative clerk at III MEF Headquarters in Okinawa.

“I loved it,” Ford said of her five years as a Marine. “I look back and kind of wish I had stayed in but life has a way of throwing you curve balls.”

A native of West Point, Ford returned to the area and earned a master’s degree from Mississippi State University in English, with a concentration in British Literature.

“I always loved literature and the formation of language,” Ford said. “The lexicon and derivation always fascinated me.”

Ford, a West Point native, resides in Columbus with her husband, Eric, who is a biology instructor at EMCC. Her daughter and son-in-law, Brandi and Waid Durr, reside in Colorado and are expecting their first child.