Volume 2020-16
” A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill
Along our journey, we encounter certain people that motivate, inspire, and encourage us to be the best version of ourselves. Sadly, some are no longer with us. Yet, their legacy continues in the lives they touched. For me, one of those people is Jason Thomas.
I was fortunate to serve on a team with Jason, and we remained friends since our first encounter in 2005. The friendship was built on trust, mutual respect, and many shared experiences. One of the things I appreciated about Jason was his candid feedback. I could always count on Jason giving me his honest opinion, even when it was opposite to what I was thinking. He was a loyal friend to many, often described as a guy that would give you the shirt off his back.
Jason did not settle for a life of comfort. He wanted to do his best and expected those around him to do the same. If you were having a bad day, he’d do his part to pick you up. While Jason was strong enough to literally pick someone up, his style was to give you a quick dose of feedback, roll up his sleeves with you, and get after it. Whatever ‘it’ was. And at other times, he’d simply say something along the lines of, “C’mon man, quit sniveling.” He was the kind of guy you wanted in a stack ready to assault an objective, looking at maps while planning a mission, or relaxing watching a game.
Jason’s journey was unique. After high school, he joined the Navy and then got out. He later enlisted in the Army and eventually signed up for the challenge to be a Green Beret where we met. He volunteered for the Warrant Officer program and progressed to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer-3 at the time of his passing. While Jason took pride in his accomplishments, what he was most proud of was his family. Family to Jason was his wife, and kids followed by his friends.
Jason’s charisma and personality were ones that drew people to him.
I will never forget Jason’s final night on earth. As his body was shutting down, his room and hallways were lined with family and friends. Jason was surrounded by his wife, daughter, youngest son, and immediate family members. His oldest son was making his way to the hospital from Alabama. In true Special Forces manner, the network of friends made calls to get a police escort and tracking the movement of Jason’s son along the highway. A couple of folks waited at the hospital’s entrance to receive Jason’s son and park his car so as not to waste any time. Jason held on to see his son one last time.
Jason had faced many battles in life. As a Green Beret, he had deployed to combat on numerous occasions. He contracted a rare disease at one time, so rare the CDC recorded Jason as ‘John Doe #1’ in dealing with that case. He overcame the illness. He battle d through two episodes of cancer. He overcame that. Jason was a fighter and lived the warrior ethos in and out of uniform. The courage he showed during his final battle will forever remain with me. Jason displayed grit though he had doubts at times. He showed love to his family and friends while dealing with great pain. His sense of humor remained all the way to the end.
Jason was inspirational. He was authentic. He would tell you that he was not perfect but wanted to be better. He cared about people, even those he didn’t know. I recall him wanting the people of Afghanistan to have a better way of life, especially the kids. He wanted the best for his friends. He was so proud of his kids, bragging about them and sharing pictures. And he recognized what true love was as he shared wonderful words with his wife and close friends thanking them for being by his side. In reality, we thank Jason for sharing life with us. I could not have successfully led the team back in 2005 if it weren’t for Jason and the incredible men of the team.
On his final night, one of the nurses commented that she had never seen the hallways lined up with so many people. She had to wonder along with the other medical personnel about the magnitude of the man that was their patient. Words may have described it some, but the presence of all the people spoke volumes. I share Jason’s story briefly to give a glimpse of one of America’s treasured sons. His legacy continues with so many people. There are days when my motivation level is not quite there. In those times, I think about what some of the guys I’ve known would say to push me. Often, thoughts of Jason inspire me to go a little more.
Our lives are filled with people who invest in us, and likewise, we do the same. In my journey, the drive to be the best version of me is fueled by the challenge of keeping up with guys like Jason. They provide us with inspiring words, memories, and examples to push us to the next ridgeline. While the world is my dojo, my training partners are many. One of my close training partners has been and will remain Jason Thomas. Rest in peace, my friend. You are not forgotten.
Thanks, Mel, for allowing me to share Jason with others. And thank you for being a teammate!
Pat