No. 764 Jared Jones, 2009

File — Box: 73, Folder: 7

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Jared Jones was born in Alabama where his father was attending flight school for the Army. He grew up around aviation and developed an interest in it early. His family eventually moved to Park City, Utah. After graduating high school Jared went to the Air Force Academy but decided to come home to Utah to pursue different interests. He joined the National Guard and was in the same unit as his father. Jared describes his basic training, his education and his flight training. He talks about flying Apache helicopters and the many aspects of the machine and its operation. Jared’s unit was then deployed to Afghanistan. He describes the training he and his unit went through and the process of traveling to Afghanistan and adjusting to life there. Jared talks about his unit’s job in Afghanistan, how they spent their time and details what went into their missions. He was the unit historian and documented much of the unit’s activities. In addition to their duties for the National Guard, Jared and his peers started visiting Afghani hospitals to donate supplies and spend time with Afghani children. In his second interview Jared explains the motivations behind starting the Afghanistan Orphanage Project, which he and a few other members of his unit founded after returning home. He talks about navigating Afghanistan’s culture and bureaucracy, looking for funds, and working with the Afghan people to get the nonprofit started. Jared explains where the organization is and where they hope to be in the future.
Project: Iraq and Afghanistan oral history project.
Interviewer: John C. Worsencroft

Dates

2009

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.