Jason proudly served in the United States Army for more than 14 years. He began his military career as a 12B Combat Engineer and later transitioned to 12P Prime Power Production Specialist. During his service, he completed two deployments to Afghanistan and also served in Romania, Germany, and multiple duty stations across the United States. From his deployment in Afghanistan, he was awarded the Purple Heart, and the memories of those who did not make it home will remain with him forever.
"The Army provided opportunities to work alongside incredible soldiers and leaders while serving in a variety of roles and locations throughout my career. It was also where I met my wife, Stephanie, and had the opportunity to serve alongside her during our time stationed in Texas. My final duty station was Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, where I was medically retired from the Army. Although my military career came to an end, the lessons, friendships, and sense of purpose I gained through military service continue to guide me every day. My time in the Army shaped a part of who I am, and I remain grateful for the opportunity to have served our country."
"As a new farming operation, we are still in the early stages of our journey, so the Farmer Veteran Coalition has not yet had a direct impact on our business. However, we joined because we wanted to be part of a community that connects veteran farmers across the country through a shared understanding of service, hard work, and commitment. One of the things we value most is the opportunity to connect with others who have made the transition from military service to agriculture. We look forward to learning from fellow veteran farmers, building relationships within the community, and contributing to the network as our operation grows. We are excited about what the future holds and what we can achieve as members of the Farmer Veteran Coalition, both as a farm and as a veteran family."
Jason and his wife owns and operates Valhalla Pastures on Rozalia Ranch in Southwest Louisiana. They are a regenerative agriculture farm focused on raising livestock in a way that improves the health of their animals, the soil, and the land. The farm is home to cattle, goats, pasture-raised laying hens, turkeys, and emus. Through rotational grazing, their cattle, goats, and laying hens are regularly moved to fresh pasture, allowing the land time to recover while naturally improving soil health and forage diversity.
"Honestly, meeting my wife played a big role in bringing me back to agriculture. We both grew up around farming through our families, so the lifestyle was already familiar to us. I had always wanted a piece of land of my own, but owning a ranch wasn't something I had planned after my military career. After leaving the Army, we found ourselves drawn back to the values we both grew up with — hard work, caring for the land, and raising animals. When the opportunity came to purchase our property in Louisiana, we decided to take the leap and build something of our own."
While Valhalla Pastures on Rozalia Ranch is still in its early stages, the vision extends beyond simply raising livestock. One of their long-term goals is to create opportunities for transitioning service members and veterans to learn about agriculture, gain hands-on experience, and discover whether farming or ranching could be part of their next chapter. What started as a shared dream has become a family endeavor focused on regenerative agriculture, livestock stewardship, and building a legacy for their children as well.
"For me, farming continues my sense of service by allowing me to care for something larger than myself. In the Army, that service was to my country and the soldiers beside me. Today, that service is directed toward my family, the land, the animals in my care, and the community around me. As a farmer, I have the responsibility of being a steward of the land and producing food in a way that leaves things better than I found them. Through regenerative agriculture, we are focused on improving soil health, caring for our livestock, and creating a sustainable future for the next generation."
"Being an American farmer means carrying on a tradition of hard work, self-reliance, and stewardship. It means understanding that what we do today impacts future generations. It also means having the opportunity to share what we've learned and, hopefully one day, help other veterans and transitioning service members discover opportunities in agriculture as they begin their next chapter. While the uniform has changed, the sense of purpose and service remains the same."
