the Donoho community honored all men and women who have served in the Armed Forces with our annual Veterans Day Program. A special thank you to Colonel (Ret) Jason Benefield for serving as our guest speaker. Colonel Benefield is from Hopewell, Alabama. He earned a BA with Special Honors in Political Science and the title of Distinguished Military Graduate from Jacksonville State University in 1992. He was commissioned as an Infantry Officer, transferring to the Military Intelligence Corps in 1996, then to the Electronic Warfare Career Field in 2015. He retired on March 1, 2022, after 32 years of total service after most recently serving as the Forces Command G39 Information Warfare Director.
Following six deployments to the Middle East, he commanded the Warrior Transition Battalion in Alaska from 2010 to 2013.
Colonel Benefield is the proud recipient of numerous military awards, which include:
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal.
Colonel Benefield also has extensive experience as a coach and leadership expert. He is a Maxwell Leadership Certified Coach and Speaker, an AAU cross country and track Certified Coach, a CYA Youth football and basketball Certified Coach, and a volunteer Hockey official (off-ice) for multiple hockey leagues. He takes great pride in being part of various championship teams and developing dozens of young athletes who became college athletes.
Colonel Benefield is married to the former Cammie Bragg of Heflin, Alabama. They have three children; Carlie, a senior at JSU; Jay Allen, a freshman at Methodist University and James, a junior at Jacksonville High School.
Thank you to the many Veterans who attended our program today. Your presence made our program very special, and we thank you for your sacrifice and service.
