Jason B. Granger

United States Army Sergeant First Class Jason B. Granger was born on May 27, 1984, in San Demis, California. Granger was killed while conducting Military Free Fall training on December 27, 2013 in Perris, California. He joined the Army in 2002, right out of high school. Granger served as an Army Ranger in 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Savannah, Georgia, and the Regimental Special Troops BN FT Benning, Georgia, for a total of seven years and conducted five combat deployments to Iraq and two to Afghanistan. He served in every position from Rifleman to Ranger Squad Leader. He attended selection and was selected to be a member of the Regimental Reconnaissance Company. During his last four years he served in the USAJFKSWC’s Military Freefall School as an Instructor and also served as the NCOIC of the Advance Tactical Infiltration Course (ATIC) in Yuma, Arizona. He conducted over 2,000 jumps in his 11 year career in the Special Operations community. Granger also paved the way for special operators by developing tactics, techniques, and procedures to jump into rough terrain in any wind conditions. He was innovative in the way he pushed training by taking techniques used by the smoke jumpers and implementing it into the ATIC course. 

Granger received many awards and badges, including the following: Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star for serving above his rank, as and Ranger Rifle Team Leader, he insured the success of a series of critical ground combat operations of national significance, Meritorious Service Medal, four Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, four Good Conduct Medals, William O. Darby Award, CPL Glenn M. Hall Award, Ranger Tab, Combat Diver Badge, Military Free Fall Jump Master Badge, Static line Jump Master Badge, Pathfinder Badge, and numerous foreign jump wings.

Granger’s schools include Airborne School, Pathfinder school, Ranger School, Special Forces Combat Diver Qualification Course, Tactical Tracking Operations School, Military Freefall Parachutist Course, Military Freefall Jumpmaster Course, Military Freefall Instructor Course, Advanced Tactical Infiltration Course, Barnhart TST advanced shooting school, Overland Experts Tactical Driving School, and the Ranger Master Explosive Breacher course, and completed many other schools, not including the ones he earned badges from.

Granger was a man of faith and an avid outdoorsman. He loved hunting, archery, fishing, kayaking, and anything outdoors. Fall was his favorite time of year and he loved football, college and NFL. His favorite College team was the Georgia Bulldogs. Granger lived in Yuma, Arizona, at the time of his passing and is survived by his wife, Calah Granger, and three young sons, Tyler, Christian, and Ryder. He grew up in Lake Arrowhead, California and graduated from Rim of the World high school. He is also survived by his parents, Randy and Sandy Granger, his brother, Luke, and many men he considered brothers, and a very large family.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has provided the Granger family with a mortgage-free home through the Gold Star Family Home Program.