Meet Colonel Jeff, an Air Force fighter pilot who has served over 24 years, including time spent at Afghanistan and other overseas locations, as well work at the Pentagon. He recently served as the Director of Operations J3 US Forces Japan. In that role, Jeff directed routine and contingency operations for 50,000+ military members across all four services stationed in Japan.
Jeff and his family were re-assigned back home to Virginia in early 2020. In August, he suffered a severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) caused by a cycling accident. Jeff was admitted to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago where he has undergone nearly a year of extensive physical, occupational and speech therapy. With SALUTE’s help, his wife Sofi and their two young children were able to travel and be with him through much of his rehab.
After regaining his speech and making many other huge strides with his therapy, Jeff was released from the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and transferred to the VA Hospital in Minneapolis. He and his family are transitioning to an accessible home near the hospital so they can all be together as he continues his treatment. We thank Jeff for his service to our country and wish him the very best as he recovers his strength and mobility.