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MEPS
Jason Gilliland enlists in the U.S. Army one month before graduating high school. He swears in at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) in Buffalo, NY with other recruits. He is expected to ship out for training in September.
Photo by Fort George G. Meade Public Affairs Office -
High School Graduation
Gilliland graduates from Bolivar-Richburg High School and prepares to ship out for basic training. He must pack the bare minimum and essentials to bring with him to basic training.
Photo by Gabe -
Basic Training
Gilliland spends September through March at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for basic training. There he will go through three different phases of training, both physical and mental to become a soldier. He will then continue with advanced individual training (AIT).
Photo by Expert Infantry -
AIT Graduation
Gilliland graduates from basic training and advanced individual training as a military engineer. Following his graduation, Gilliland will report to his first state-side duty station.
Photo by AC Flick -
First Duty Station
Following graduation, Gilliland reports to his first duty station in Fort Riley, Kansas where he worked as en engineer. He will spend the next three months state-side, before his first deployment.
Photo by Ashley Van Haeften -
Nicaragua
Gilliland goes on his first deployment to Nicaragua. He spends 6 months there, from June 1998 to Feb. 1999. Photo by Phillip Stewart -
Kosovo
Photo by Jason Gilliland Glliland spent six months in Kosovo to assist with ending the conflict between Serbians and Albanians, as well as to end the war crimes of mass killings and mass graves. -
Kuwait and Iraq
Photo by Jason Gilliland Gilliland deployed in early March to Kuwait. He then crossed the border into Iraq where he spent one year of his deployment. -
Air Transportation
Photo by Jgs5566@hotmail.com~commonswiki Gilliland worked in air transportation for the U.S. Air Force from March 2004-Feb. 2009. During his time he was responsible for planning and organizing air transportation activities. -
Eerie Community College
Photo by Julianna Novellino Gilliland enrolls in community college and makes the transition from soldier to student. He spends from September 2004- May 2006 at community college studying criminal justice. He then transfers to SUNY Buffalo to earn his bachelor's degree in criminal justice and graduates in 2008. -
Buffalo State University
Photo by Nikopoley Gilliland graduates from Eerie Community College and transfers to Buffalo State University to complete his Bachelor's degree in criminal justice from 2006-2008. -
Military Recruiting
Photo by Jason Gilliland Gilliland became a recruiter for the U.S. Air Force Reserve in Poughkeepsie from Feb. 2009- Jan. 2011. As a recruiter he was responsible for providing information for interested candidates by visiting local high schools and colleges. He was also responsible for preparing enlistment and commissioning case files on personnel enlisting or applying for a entrance in the United States Air Force. -
Community College Of the Air Force
Photo by Julianna Novellino Gilliland continued his education from 2009-2014. He earned to associate's degrees. He earned one in Human Resource Management and Services, as well as one in Education and Training. -
Coordinator for Veteran and Military Services
Photo by Nikopoley Gilliland became the coordinator for veteran and military services at SUNY Buffalo from Jan. 2011- May 2014. He was responsible for certifying and processing veteran students educational benefits, as well as maintain student records for GI Bill processing. -
Unit Training Manager
Photo by Chetblong Gilliland became a unit training manager for the U.S. Air Force from Oct. 2011 to May 2014. His role was to conduct education and training tasks for maintenance, operations, and support training. -
Master's Degree
Gilliland returned to SUNY Buffalo between 2013 and 2015 to earn his Master's of Science in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration. -
Master of Arts
Photo by Corkythehornetfan Gilliland is currently earning his Master of Arts in Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Stony Brook University. He is expected to graduate in May of 2017. -
Today
Photo by Kristen Warfield Gilliland is currently the coordinator of veteran and military services at SUNY New Paltz and is serving as Education and Training Manager for the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
