U.S. Army Captain Jason Pace.

Fillmore resident Jason Pace has had a very interesting military career having served as both an enlisted Non-Commissioned Officer and as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Marine Corps and as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Army.

Jason attended Fillmore Unified Schools until the eleventh grade when he left Fillmore High School after taking the California High School Proficiency Exam which allowed him to leave high school early to attend Ventura College. He attended San Cayetano and Sespe Elementary Schools, Fillmore Junior High School and Fillmore High School. At Fillmore High School he was on the football, tennis and wrestling teams in his Freshman year. Jason was active with the Boy Scouts through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Fillmore. For his Eagle Project he did a flagpole restoration and permanent lighting to allow the flag to be flown day and night at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Fillmore. He coordinated and participated in the restoration of the flag pole, installed lighting and performed the landscaping around the flag pole. (His brother Devin's Eagle Project was to design the playground at the North Fillmore Storefront soon after the Storefront was completed.)

Jason Pace is the son of DeLores Pace and the late Gary G. Pace. He is married to Eunice E. Pace (Escobar) and has three children, Miller (Alcocer) 18 years, Sybellen 14 years and Chelsea 12 years.

Jason enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in August of 1990. He attended boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. He attended further training at Naval Air Station Millington, Tennessee where he became qualified as an Aviation Ordnance man. He attended follow on training at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. He was then assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 134 (VMFA-134) in El Toro, California from 1991 to 1996. In 1994 VMFA-134 transitioned from El Toro, CA to Miramar, California after the El Toro Marine Corps Air Stationed closed. During this time Jason advanced through the ranks to Sergeant. In 1996 he was reassigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775 (HMLA-775) in Camp Pendleton, California. In 1997 Jason was selected to attend Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia where upon completion was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He attended the Adjutant Course in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and upon completion was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division (2/11) in Camp Pendleton, CA where he served as Battalion Adjutant.

In 2001, 1st Lieutenant Jason Pace was selected to attend the University of Utah as part of the Degree Completion Program. He was also promoted to Captain that same year. In 2002, upon completion of his Bachelor’s Degree, he was assigned to Marine Wing Support Group 47 (MWSG-47), in Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Harrison Township, Michigan where he served as Group Adjutant. While assigned to MWSG-47, he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2005 he was reassigned to U.S. Marine Corps Forces Strategic Command/ U.S. Strategic Command in Omaha, Nebraska where he served as the Deputy G-1 and Assistant to the J-12 Joint Assignments Branch. He was promoted to Major in October 2007. In 2008, Jason was selected to become a Physician Assistant. This new selection required his transfer from the Marine Corps to the Army Medical Command in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He completed his initial training at Fort Sam Houston and is now currently assigned to the 55th Medical Operations Squadron, Offutt AFB, Bellevue, Nebraska for his Phase II clinical training.

Captain Jason Pace has been awarded: Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Meritorious Unit Award, Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. Captain Jason Pace has one combat deployment with United States Marine Wing Support Squadron 472 to Al Asad, Iraq.

Captain Jason Pace has earned a Bachelors Degree from the University of Utah in Sociology, a Bachelors in Health Sciences from the University of Nebraska, a Masters in Administration from Central Michigan University and he is currently finishing the requirements for for his Masters in Physician Assistant Studies through the University of Nebraska. While in the Marine Corps he held the non-commissioned officers rank of Sergeant. He was then commissioned and attained the rank of Major before leaving the United States Marine Corps for the Physicians Assistant Program in the United States Army where he is now commissioned as a Captain in the Army. By moving from the United States Marine Corps to the United States Army he was required to be appointed as a Captain to be a part of the Physician Assistant Program.

All of us here in the communities of Fillmore and Piru are proud of United States Army Captain Jason Pace for his service. We wish him a long and distinguished career and safe travel. We thank him and his family for the sacrifices they have already made and will make in the future. Captain Jason Pace is one of our own and is truly an American Hero!