Bill's Blog

Jason R. Musteen, Ph.D., (Bryant H.S., 1990), US Army.

Jason soon leaves for Afghanistan. He’ll be stationed in Bagram, Afghanistan, where he’ll serve as the Chief of Training for the 101st Airborne Division. Remember him, his wife, and two kids in your prayers.

Jason and I share a long history. We’re finally old enough to tell young people, “I’ve known him over half of my life!” [Soon thereafter, we’d probably yell something like, "get off my lawn, kid!"]

We first met in the hallowed halls of Bryant Jr. High–in 1987. Since then, I’ve pulled him from jaws of death (as he dangled by one hand from a cliff), we’ve backpacked oodles of miles, we’ve shared a tent in sub-freezing temperatures (have you ever watched a guy thaw a frozen twinkie-on-a-stick over a fire?). We endured a “survival” camping weekend (we finally drove for pizza, ended up sleeping outdoors, rolled up in rotten carpet like a big “idiot enchilada”). We were nearly suspended from High School for not rolling a teacher’s home. Each was a Groomsman in the others’ wedding. He’s seen me slide, bare-chested, down the ice on Mt. Ranier, and vomit after a really, really bad Cuban cigar. Jason is exactly six months older than me. I remember our circle of buddies celebrating his 16th birthday party at McDonald’s [we even watched the video of Ronald, Grimace, and the Gang].

When I review my history, I know that I’m blessed. I am one of the few people that I know whose closest friends today are the friends he made in Jr. High. As I remember the biggest moments in my life, almost all of them have at least one of 7 people there with me. You’ll hear much more about the others in ensuing blogs.

Jason is the kind of guy that every kid should know–ridiculously funny, devoted, adventuresome, with a clear moral compass. If you want to know more, and why my firstborn has such a unique middle-name, make sure you follow the blogs.

To all of our soldiers: Godspeed.