Staff Sergeant Hendrix was a professional soldier watching out for his men when a roadside bomb ended his career.

Jason R. Hendrix was born on October 26, 1976, in Watsonville, California, to Russell and Renee Hendrix. Within a few years the family moved from their Watsonville apartment to a home in the community of Freedom where Jason, his brother Justin and sister Amanda were raised. Young Jason attended the Salsipuedes Elementary School before continuing into E. A. Hall and Rolling Hills Junior High schools. Jason grew to become a stocky boy and loved sports, especially basketball and bodybuilding. In 1989 Jason's parents divorced with his father moving to Oklahoma, and his mother obtaining temporary custody of him. In 1991 custody of Jason was awarded to his father and after spending two years at Aptos High School, he transferred to Sequoia High School in Claremore, Oklahoma, where his father lived. During his final two years of high school, he became an avid hunter and joined the Army Reserve.

Following his graduation in 1994, Hendrix went on active duty in the army. After receiving additional training, he was assigned to an infantry unit in South Korea where he spent two tours. Jason chose the army as his career and over the next eleven years advanced to the rank of Staff Sergeant. During the Iraqi Freedom War, S/Sergeant Hendrix was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division serving west of Baghdad in the Sunni Triangle sector.

On February 16, 2005, Staff Sergeant Jason R. Hendrix was chosen to lead a twenty-five-man squad to serve as decoys for a marine unit attempting to knock out a rebel insurgent stronghold in Ramadi. His squad came under heavy artillery fire followed by a small arms firefight. While he was in the process of pulling his injured men out of burning armored vehicles, a roadside bomb exploded, taking his life.

Jason's body was recovered and returned to Oklahoma where he was buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Tulsa. His awards include a Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

(SCSn February 18, 2005 1, February 19, 2005 1; Military Times, Honor the Fallen, January 2003, http://www.militarycity.com/valor/675442.html, [16 Sept 2008])