As a child, Jason Cooper, dreamed of serving his country. By the time he was a senior in high school, the United States had declared war on Iraq, and Jason was ready to join the Marine Corps. During his time in the military, Jason served on more than 100 combat missions as tactical air control in 2^nd Battalion, 7^th Marines, the unit that suffered more casualties than any other Marine battalion in 2008 and was later made infamous by a 2015 New York Times headline labeling it a battalion “stalked by suicide.” Having seen firsthand the devastation wrought by combat both overseas and back home in his native Florida, Jason is determined to make a difference in the lives of his fellow Veterans through his work as Home Base’s new Assistant Director of Development.

In his new role, Jason will be charged with marketing Home Base Southwest Florida through corporate partnerships, events (such as the Run to Home Base Florida in January) and other activities. As a Southwest Florida resident, Jason understands the importance of the mission he has embarked upon.

“Florida comprises the third largest Veteran population in the United States, but ranks 50^th in mental health care,” Jason said. “There is a significant need for mental health care services for the Veteran community in Florida.”

Home Base Southwest Florida was created to answer this need by empowering local Veterans and Warriors to take control of their physical well-being, provide tools to help manage stress, and provide complex care for those in need of treatment for the invisible wounds. With Jason at the helm, there are plans to further expand into the region, bringing care and support to even more Veterans and their Families.

“The Marine Corps had a profound effect on who I am today,” said Jason. “It gave me perspective on where I was in life and where I wanted to be. It gave me my work ethic. It taught me how to be part of a team.”

As the Assistant Director of Development, Jason will have the opportunity to leverage the skills and experience he gained in the Marine Corps to reach fellow Veterans in need of help.

“Jason left his role as Director of Sales to join our team here in Southwest Florida,” said Armando Hernandez, Home Base Southwest Florida’s Program Director. “He joined our team because he’s seen firsthand the cost of war, and he wants to give back to the military community.”

“I want to help grow Home Base Southwest Florida to its fullest potential,” said Jason, who considers being part of Home Base as being part of something larger than himself. He is eager to serve his military family, particularly the more than 130,000 Veterans that call the five-county region of Southwest Florida home.

Welcome to the Home Base Southwest Florida team, Jason!