b2 mom & dads son jason

[Snarley Bill]

as alot of you know jason is a b-2 bomber pilot among other things in the military. i have a picture of him flying over the st. louis arch in his b2 bomber that was given to me by him or his mom patti a couple of years ago. yesterday that picture was on the front business page of the st. louis post dispatch. since i don't know how to do pictures, patti is going to try to post it for me. it is quite a story how he got where he is. maybe patti will share it with you all. any way he is one of my two all time heros the other being Audey murphy. just thought i would share this with you all.

[Monty]

Here ya go...

[Eck]

I was one of the lucky ones to meet Jason in Memphis when the VR group met up for St. Jude's a few years back. Very interesting person he was with much knowledge.

 

He is a star in his mom and dad's eyes for sure.

 

I would like to see and read the story.

Thanks for sharing Bill. Hope Patti can post it soon.

[eusa1]

great people come from great people.

[Brake Pad]

I wonder if he'd let us take it up for a test spin.

[Stache]

I wonder if he'd let us take it up for a test spin.

 

How much seafoam does it take to keep that running?

[Snarley Bill]

Here ya go...

thanks monty, thats the picture.

[Snarley Bill]

i'm going to give the paper to patti for her archives at the eureka springs meet labor day weekend. maybe she could coax jason and his family to attend it again this year. if you have never seen him just think of yul brynner when he was in his twentys almost a spittin image.

[ReinyRooster]

But his ride is really lacking in "safety chrome".....

Must be such a trip flying one of those things.

[cowpuc]

WOW,, HOW COOL IS THAT!!! :clap2: to Jason and a giant THANK YOU to him for his service to our country!! Congrats to Don and Patti!!!!

Puc

[leo3wheel]

Very cool pic!

[Carbon_One]

A great guy for sure.

Larry

[djh3]

From an aerodynamics stand point I dont trust them. look like they would fly like a boomerang. Dont trust helicopters neither. But I appreciate someone flying them.

[b2dad]

and thanks Monty for posting the picture. I am adding a couple more. Guess you all know how proud we are of Jason.

 

His story is that he didn't go to the "Academy" or anything like that. He was going to college in our little town and a friend talked him into joining the Air Force on the "buddy" program. The recruiter called and told us that Jason had scored higher on his ASFAB (?) test than anyone they had ever seen. They felt he was being held back by his friend and that Jason could be anything he wanted to be in the Air Force. But no, Jason was going to stay loyal to his friend. Well, his friend opted out in the middle of basic training and Jason was pretty stuck in what he had chosen, being a security specialist. His first duty was in Minot, ND. His first winter there was brutally cold! He did end up flying in a helicopter as security for when they flew the perimeter at the base.

 

I guess he started talking to people saying how much he would like to fly and well, one thing led to another. His CO really liked him and pointed him in the right direction. Told Jason he had to finish his college degree, which he did. He actually had to leave the military to finish up and then re-enlisted as an officer when he graduated college. Then he had to get his private pilot license, which he did. THEN they accepted him into pilot training. Our whole family went to his graduation and bless his heart...his CO thought he had "rented a family" as we filled the auditorium like no other family! We even had our own bus to tour the base!

 

Before graduation that night, Jason was telling us how they had asked them to fill out a "dream list" of planes that they would like. jason had heard that there was a B2 slot open and put it down on his list...just because. THEN rumors started flying that one of them had actually been awarded the B2 but that had never ever happened before...so they all figured someone had started that viscious rumor just for fun.

 

As the graduates walk across the stage to accept their "wings", there is a huge screen behind them and the plane that they are "awarded" is shown flying on the screen. That's when everyone, including them, KNOW what they are getting. Well, there we all are, waiting to see what he gets...and sure enough, the B2 goes flying across the screen. You talk about alot of hollering, screaming, clapping, etc. The family and the whole auditorium goes nuts! he was the first graduate out of pilot training to be awarded the B2. He was the youngest in age to be awarded the B2. he was the lowest rank to be awarded the B2. (I think he gets his smarts from his mom...just saying)

 

Who would have thunk that a young kid from "podunk" Dresden, who didn't go to the Academy, would ever become a pilot and fly a hugely expensive plane like that. And what a career he's had...he's won awards all along the way (I can't even tell you what they are because he does not brag about them at all..,.I have to hear about it from his wife). He was chosen to participate in the Air Force version of "Top Gun", I think it's called Weapons School. Only 2 airmen per year are invited. he also was an Instructor Pilot for the T 38 for a couple years.

 

Last year, he was asked to head up a new program, stationed at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas. After uprooting his wife and kids and moving out there, the program was axed, thanks to sequestration. Before he could come back to Whiteman AFB outside Kansas City, a 2 star General asked him to join his team.

 

Well anyway...as usual I am long winded...but really just a proud mom (and dad here). He still flies the B2 on occasion to keep current with it as a pilot. He is very quiet about his accomplishments. I forgot to mention that he did a tour in Afghanistan a couple years ago for about 10 months. It was the longest time in my life. I was a virtual wreck. Unless you've had a loved one serve over there (or in any war situation), it's hard to describe. Times are different now than they were back in my younger days and my generation's war: Vietnam. Now they have internet, computers and Skype. Now that's not to say he was on there all the time. there were days when Internet didn't work and then I was really a wreck. all I wanted to do was just log on and see if he was logged in to the internet. I didn't have to talk to him, I let him do that with his wife and kids. just knowing he was safe that day was good enough for me. Yes, we spoke on occasion, but I told him his time was precious and spend it with Nicole and the boys. They needed him worse than I did. Nobody was happier when he came home.

 

Thanks for reading his story. I mainly wanted to let you all know that get the word out to the young folks: you can be anything you want to be, if you want to work hard for it, if you want it more than anything else!

 

The pictures are: His first time refueling the B2, standing in front of it at an Air Show (I'm thinking that was in St. Louis, but not sure). The last picture is of him flying the T 38 over Mt McKinley.

 

thanks everyone for your kind words and I will tell him you all thank him for his service. I don't think he will make it to Eureka springs Bill. But I will tell him what you said.

 

Patti

Edited July 24, 2014 by B2MOM

[b2dad]

More pictures from St. Louis

[cowpuc]

WOW what a story B2Mom and Dad of an AMAZING young man, what a blessing to have you share that!! And, my goodness,, those pictures are PRICELESS!!

PLEASE give your son a hug for Tip and I and let him know how proud of him we are! Also Patti, you can count on us to share the story and pass the dynamic words on that your son exemplifies: you can be anything you want to be, if you want to work hard for it, if you want it more than anything else!

[Snarley Bill]

patti that was a great story. never heard it in that much detail. you are right he got your brains.lol he is so layed back and quiet you would never guess what he does. most polite and thoughtful person i ever met. i asked him at our barbeque if he ever worried about flipping that wing end over end like the old flying wing woud do. he said it is impossible the computor won't let it happen. he is very tight lipped about secret stuff. thats all he would say.

[Carbon_One]

Thanks Patti for the info on Jason. While I knew some of the stuff you said about him you've filled in more of the blanks from what I knew. He truly is an amazing young man and I for one certainly tip my hat to him for all he's done thus far. I'm sure we haven't heard the latest of his endeavors yet either. May God continue to bless him & his fellow Air Force comrades.

He's a very down to earth guy and unless you knew he was an airman you'd never guess it from talking to him.

Larry

[b2dad]

for all the kind words. Yes, we are proud of him, as we are all our chiildren. Hope I didn't bore anyone with my LONG story.

patti

[Stache]

for all the kind words. Yes, we are proud of him, as we are all our chiildren. Hope I didn't bore anyone with my LONG story.

patti

 

 

You will NEVER bore this old soldier with the story of someone who's chosen service.

 

MWO SJ Barnes CD

DSM 1st Battalion,

The Royal Newfoundland Regiment

 

(I still want to know how much seafoam he puts in that thing, but that's probably on the official secrets list)

[Aussie Annie]

Proud to call Major Ellis a friend.

 

On our first trip in 2011 we were invited by Patti and Don to join them on a trip to Whiteman Airforce Base. Jason had organized security permission, and a room at the hotel on the base for us.

 

We spent the most amazing time with him, and his family.

on a tour of the base we were lucky enough to see a B2 move out of it's hangar and do an engine test. We got in some great riding with him, and B2mom and B2dad.

First photo is of Major Ellis

Love those memories

[bostonlawman2003]

What an awesome story, and those pictures!! :wow:

 

 

My step son is in the Air Force in an intelligence unit out of the Otis Air National Guard Base here in Massachusetts. I have more respect than I can show on here for anyone willing to put on the uniform and stand up for the rest of us.

 

Many prayers that your son stays safe and has a long and successful career!

[brd7666]

Awesome all the way. Those planes are awesome too, but, does it have a cassette player?