Currently serving on active duty
Married: Sept. 16, 2000, to Michelle E. (Vitanou) from Medina, Ohio
Children: Lucas Michael
Article Photos
Jason J. Nowak, U.S. Army major
Military History - Fort Dix, New Jersey Regular Enlistment 1989 with guard unit in Dunkirk; Enlisted simultaneously in ROTC at SUNY Fredonia Dunkirk guard as a cadet; 1991 commissioned 2nd Lt., SUNY Fredonia; Artillery school, Fort Sill, Okla.; field artillery office basic; Fire Direction Center (FDC) for self-propelled guns. An FDC is a place where all fire missions are called into first, after checking that all friendly and civilians are clear, it will double check the fire mission and ok the mission to the gun crews; Vilseck, Germany, 3rd infantry division 18 months 155 sps - self propelled artillery gun; State logistic transition course; MOS change from artillery to quartermaster; Army quartermaster, supply maintenance ammunition; 15th combat engineers located in Herongen, Germany (on the border near the Netherlands).
Also - Supply officer , maintenance officer, combat equipment; Zuttendaal, Belgium, maintenance officer
Served in one of the first three units of combat engineers to Bosnia; Officer in charge of equipment and promoted to captain of US Army; Quartermaster, officer advanced course, Fort Lee, Va.
1996 to 1998 training Fort Bragg - Fort Bragg, N. C., Special Operations support command training. Fort Bragg was the training center for special operations.
Nowak left the military to become a financial planner and moved to Medina, Ohio where his wife Michelle was raised, where she, herself, worked as a financial planner.
Sept 11, 2001 - Nowak called the Army and asked to be reinstated to his former rank of captain. After a short wait, he left Medina, Ohio and was stationed in Hanau, Germany, with the 485th combat support group which was already deployed to Iraq. He became company commander of 120 soldiers whose duties were to give direct support to units needing supplies, fuel and water rations.
In 2003, Jason spent a year in Iraq and was ordered back to Germany. His new assignment was commanding officer of all training.
In 2005 he packed his bags and headed back to Iraq for his second tour. Here Jason received the rank of Major United States Army. He was placed in charge of the 3rd corps support command. While in his second deployment Major Nowak worked with 3rd cos com, commanded by Brigadier Gen. Rebecca Halstead who was the first female brigade general that graduated from West Point. Jason was on her staff while she commanded 25,000 soldiers.
After this tour he was ordered back to the states to Levenworth, Kan. Later he attended the command and general staff college where he completed his MBA and then was transferred to Fort Carson with the 43rd sustainment brigade. While at Fort Carson, he was responsible for logistics.
In 2009, he was part of CSSB (combat sustainment support battalion). After his third tour in Iraq he returned stateside and was given command of Fort Carson's ROTC program. This assignment carries the title of professor of military science at the University of South Alabama.
Jason J. Nowak was born Aug. 8, 1969 at Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk. He is the son of Richard and Elaine (Rudolph) Nowak. The family resided at 19 Johnson St. on the village of Fredonia side. Johnson Street is the dividing line between the Village of Fredonia and the Town of Pomfret.)
Jason's father, Richard worked at the Al Tech steel plant in Dunkirk.
Jason attended the Fredonia Wheelock School. He then attended the Fredonia Elementary School, Middle and High School.
During his high school days, his best friend was Erick Ellis. The two enjoyed hunting and winter sports which included skiing and snowmobiling They also loved swimming and played on the varsity football team.
Jason landed his first job at the Tops Market on Main Street Fredonia. He later delivered the local newspaper around the Berry Road and Sunset Drive areas of the village. Before leaving the area he also worked at Pizza Village.
I knew Jason as a child. He was our paperboy when my family lived on Sunset Drive. He was just one of the kids growing up in the neighborhood.
Who would ever have thought that the child Jason Nowak, would be a major in the U.S. Army? This young boy who delivered newspapers and made pizzas later in life served three tours of duty in Iraq. He carried the responsibility of providing the essential items that soldiers in harm's way required to do their jobs.
Nowak has been around the world and has the qualifications to move combat troops wherever required in this world. The story on Jason Novak cannot be completed at this time because Jason is still serving his country.
He has a beautiful and talented wife. If they wanted, the two could work together as financial advisers and live the 9 to 5 life with their weekends off.
As for now Jason still wears the Oak Leaves. It's great to know that we have people like Jason protecting us. Jason Nowak is our Hero of the Week. Thank you Jason for serving. I hope the next time I see you that those Oak Leaves have been replaced with a set of Eagles. You have made our area proud.
Submitted by John Fedyszyn Vietnam veteran
