Capt. Eric Jones Day
Heroes In Transition’s (HIT) Day of Giving is held annually on April 12th – Marine Capt. Eric A. Jones’s birthday.
The day is an opportunity to recognize, honor, and remember Eric and the impact he had through his life, service, and ultimate sacrifice. At a young age, Eric knew he wanted to be a pilot, a dream he would achieve when he enlisted in the Marines and earned his coveted Naval Aviator wings on April 27, 2007.
He later would learn to fly the UH-1N Huey Helicopter when he was assigned to the Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton in California. It was during his first deployment to Iraq in 2008 when he earned his call sign, “Jethro.”
He deployed to Iraq again in May 2009 where he flew combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom before he was reassigned to Camp Bastion in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan.
He flew his last combat mission on October 26, 2009, when he died in a helicopter collision while serving in Afghanistan. He was only 29 years old.
By participating in our annual Capt. Eric Jones Day every April 12th, you are ensuring that Eric will never be forgotten. His spirit, love of his fellow soldiers, and commitment to service continues through the work we do which assists service members, veterans, military couples, military spouses, and military families in our region.
In 2025, we served over 2,300 individuals – a record for HIT – through 15 different programs aimed at building community, strengthening relationships, serving as a pathway to healing, and empowering those we serve to live a life with purpose and meaning.
Help us continue to honor Eric by joining us on Capt. Eric Jones Day and making a donation to HIT or signing up as a volunteer for our Ruck4HIT.
