Buffalo, NY - Jason Masker served six years as an engineer in the U.S. Army and completed a combat tour in Iraq, until he retired in 2005. However, Masker continues to serve his country today.
He is the primary counselor for the 107th Attack Wing of the Air National Guard based at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, where he provides counseling, education and training for service men and women.
“I stayed in touch with the guys I served alongside and kept hearing more stories of friends who were struggling with mental health issues related to combat duty,” Masker recalls. “I wanted to do something with more purpose that could help our veterans, so I decided to pursue a career in counseling.”
Following his military career, Masker returned to school, first earning a bachelor’s degree in management and organizational leadership from St. Petersburg College in Florida, followed by his MS in community mental health counseling from Canisius University.
While studying at Canisius, Masker gained clinical experience working at Gateway-Longview, a non-profit service organization dedicated to child and family mental health issues. From there he joined the 107th Attack Wing.
