Lieutenant Colonel Jason T. Martin graduated from the United States Naval Academy and commissioned as a 2ndLt in the United States Marine Corps in May of 2000. He then served as the USNA Sprint Football Running Back coach for the 2000 football season. 2ndLt Martin attended The Basic School, Bravo Company, in January 2001.
2ndLt Martin began flight school in Pensacola, FL, in September 2001, and flew T-34 Turbo Mentors in Corpus Christi, TX, with VT-28, and T-45 Goshawks in Meridian, MS, with VT-7. 1stLt Martin reported to Marine Attack Training Squadron 203 (VMAT-203) in October 2003 for initial AV-8B training, which he completed in January 2005.
Captain Martin then reported to his first fleet unit, Marine Attack Squadron 542 (VMA-542). While attached he served as Airframes, ALSS, Powerline, and Assistant Operations Officer from 2005 to 2008, completing Weapons Training Officer and non-resident Expeditionary Warfare School. His first deployment was aboard the USS Iwo Jima in support of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in 2006, supporting both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom from the ship. He deployed next to Al Anbar Province, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007-2008.
Captain Martin served as a Forward Air Controller (FAC) with 2d ANGLICO from the summer of 2008 to November 2009. While there he attended Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) School, EWTGLANT, and the MAWTS-1 Air Officer Course in 2008. From March to July of 2009, as the Supporting Arms Liaison Team Charlie (SALT C) Air Officer, Captain Martin deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Al Anbar and Ninewa Provinces.
Following his FAC tour, Captain Martin returned to VMA-542 in November 2009 and was promoted to Major in October 2010. He served as the S-4 Logistics Officer and the Aviation Maintenance Officer (AMO), and deployed to Southeast Asia as part of the 31st MEU from July 2010 to January 2011.
Lieutenant Colonel Martin reported to VMAT-203 in June of 2011 as an AV-8B flight instructor and served as the Quality Assurance Officer, AMO, Executive Officer (XO), and Director of Safety and Standardization. While there he attended AMO School, graduated from non-resident Command and Staff, and attended Aviation Safety Commander’s Course.
Lieutenant Colonel Martin was then selected to attend resident PME at the Command and Staff College in Quantico, VA for academic year 2014-2015 where he earned his Master’s Degree in Military Science.
From September 2015 to January 2017, Lieutenant Colonel Martin was assigned as the Air Officer for the 2d Marine Expeditionary Force Advise and Assist Team, Rotation 3. In 2016, he deployed once again to Al Anbar Province in support of Operation Inherent Resolve as the Air Officer for Task Force Al Taqaddum.
He currently has over 1600 hours in the AV-8B. His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Strike/Flight Air Medal with numeral five, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars, and the Army Achievement medal.