Sponsored Veteran Spotlight: Jason Baxley
Provided by Citizen Watch.
Purple Heart Recipient Says Skydiving Helps Veterans “Live Life in the Moment”
As a board member of the Road Warrior Foundation, Jason Baxley has taken part in countless events for veterans, but even he says Jump for Valor’s program is something special.
“Just like the Road Warrior Foundation, Jump for Valor offers what we call ‘adventure therapy’ to veterans,” Jason shares. “It’s an alternative outlet for veterans to take part in something exciting with other like-minded individuals, and during my experience, Jump for Valor kept the perfect balance of excitement and engagement the entire time, helping us connect with other veterans with similar backgrounds as we prepared for our jumps.”
As a Purple Heart recipient with three combat tours across his nearly 12 years in the U.S. Army, Jason knows the value of building relationships with fellow veterans. Skydiving, he says, can help veterans move past their trauma while staying engaged in the veteran community.
“I feel stuff like skydiving is leaps and bounds better than any therapy session and just sitting on the couch talking about our problems,” he says. “As veterans, I think it’s better for us to live life in the moment together than be stuck on a couch in a doctor’s office – and what a moment it is jumping out of a plane! Instead of focusing on the trauma, the experience becomes a badass memory that helps connect us to each other.”
As for whether he’ll be skydiving again in the future, Jason, who had already experienced a few tandem jumps, says he’s interested in potentially pursuing a license to jump solo.
“I was sad when my time skydiving with Jump for Valor came to an end, but the experience made me appreciate what Jump for Valor does for our veterans even more,” he reports. “Although the jump may have ended, I know I want to be part of Jump for Valor in some way moving forward.”
About Jump for Valor x Citizen Watch
Jason was able to experience his tandem jump with Jump for Valor thanks to sponsorship from Citizen Watch. He, along with other veterans, participated in the Jump for Valor Boogie at Skydive Suffolk in Suffolk, Virginia, over Veterans Day Weekend 2021. As part of the program, ten veteran participants received free tandem skydives and complementary Citizen Watch timepieces courtesy of Citizen Watch.