Marine Lance Cpl. Jason D. Hill

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Lance Cpl. Jason D. Hill, 20, of Poway, Calif.

LCpl Hill was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 11, 2011 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations.

Lcpl Hill was a rifleman on patrol when he was killed. He deployed to Afghanistan in April.

Lcpl Hill graduated from Abraxas High School in 2008. He joined the Marines in March 2010, following in his father's (retired Marine) and older brother, Aaron's (deployed to Afghanistan), footsteps.

Friends say that Hill's graduation from basic training was one of the happiest days of his life.

Abraxas High teacher Bob Lutticken said he recalled telling Hill, who was always late to school, that such an action was “unacceptable.” Hill took the advice to heart and ultimately started running 5-6 miles every day from Garden Road area to Abraxas High School. “That was a turning point in Jason’s life,” Lutticken said. “He went from having an undisciplined life to making himself the best he could be.”

When Hill completed boot camp and came back to visit teachers in his uniform, Lutticken said it was obvious that Hill not only understood commitment, but exuded confidence.

Abraxas Principal, Rudy Casciato, said that everyone at Abraxas has fond memories of Hill, especially his return visits. “You see a distinct change and a commitment to what they’re doing. He finished strong (at Abraxas) and knew exactly what he wanted to do.”

Friend, Shelly Scieszinski, said Hill had two loves in life: his friends and being a Marine. "The only thing he ever talked about was how proud he was to serve this country and he just wanted to get out there and fight for what he believed in."

Younger brother, Dylan, 16, said he, Jason and their oldest brother, Aaron, 22, headed to Ramona on hunting trips while they were growing up and that Jason taught him how to shoot a gun.

"He always seemed to be there and I want to be there for people," said Dylan.
“He was just like a protector. That was his main job. No matter what, if you knew him at all, he would protect you."

In remembering Jason, friends had this to say:
"His charm… coming from me, a guy, his brother, it's weird but it just made you smile," said Jason's brother Dylan.

"Whether he meant to be funny about something or not, it ended up being funny," said Joey Miller.

"As a Marine, that's all he ever wanted to be."

"The way he talked to us. He talked to us like he was a drill sergeant. He thought he was a Marine before he actually went in... ," said Miller.

"He went out firing his weapon which is what he wanted," said Colin Cruse.

Lcpl Hill's awards and decorations include:

Purple Heart
Combat Action Ribbon
National defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
NATO Medal

Lcpl Hill is survived by his father, Charles and brothers, Aaron and Dylan.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jason D. Hill was killed in action on 6/11/11.