Jason Buss - Newest Member of Veterans Afield U.A.
My name is Jason Buss and I am happy to be affiliated with Veterans Afield since July of 2024. I am a Wisconsinite, graduating from Oconomowoc High School in 1991. Following that I attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL majoring Aerospace Engineering. My military service started at Embry-Riddle in the Air Force ROTC program and I received my commission as a Second Lieutenant and graduated in 1996.
My entire active-duty service was as a pilot in the AC-130 Gunship, 4th Special Operations Squadron based out of Hurlburt Field FL. During my time in the AC-130 I saw seven deployments as an Aircraft Commander (two to Afghanistan and five to Iraq). I was humbled and honored to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross (with Valor) for combat actions over Najaf, Iraq in May 2004.
In 2006 I took moved on to Southwest Airlines flying the Boeing 737 both domestically and internationally. In the summer of 2024, I started volunteering at the Milwaukee VA, in the spinal cord unit. It was during one of these events, the trap shoot at Waukesha Gun Club, where I first met Pat and the Veterans Afield group. After discussing my situation and disability with Pat, he was kind enough to extend an invitation to join Veterans Afield. I have enjoyed becoming a part of this organization and have participated in many of the trap shoots and pheasant hunts. This past year I was fortunate enough to have gone on the Veterans turkey hunt for three days. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience for someone like me that does not have a ton of hunting experience.
I have been married to my wife Sara, for nearly 26 years and we have two boys, Mason 22 and Nolan 20. Both are attending Kansas State University on baseball scholarships.