{"id":538,"date":"2019-12-15T14:35:18","date_gmt":"2019-12-15T19:35:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/suaspontefoundation.org\/?post_type=memoriam&p=538"},"modified":"2020-02-05T11:35:05","modified_gmt":"2020-02-05T16:35:05","slug":"dahlke","status":"publish","type":"memoriam","link":"https:\/\/suaspontefoundation.org\/memoriam\/dahlke\/","title":{"rendered":"Jason S. Dahlke"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bio<\/span><\/h3>

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Aug. 29, in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when they were shot by enemy forces Aug. 28, while conducting combat operations. Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.<\/p>\n

Killed were:<\/p>\n

Staff Sgt. Jason S. Dahlke, 29, of Orlando, Fla and
\nPfc. Eric W. Hario, 19, of Monroe, Mich.<\/p>\n

The information below is Copyright \u00a9 2009, Orlando Sentinel:<\/p>\n

You would never know by looking at Staff Sgt. Jason Dahlke that he was a U.S. Army Ranger, his father Roger Dahlke said.<\/p>\n

The University of Central Florida graduate rarely talked about work. He was happy-go-lucky. Easy to talk to. Pleasant to be around. Still, Jason\u2019s passion was clear.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Dad,\u2019 he said. \u2018I love my job\u2019,\u201d Roger Dahlke recalled his son saying during a recent visit with his parents at their Jacksonville home.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Jason, 29, died during a firefight in a rugged, mountainous area of Paktika province, Afghanistan, according to Army officials. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, which is based at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.<\/p>\n

It was Jason\u2019s third deployment to Afghanistan, and sixth overall.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was what he wanted to do,\u201d Roger said of Jason\u2019s career as an Army Ranger. \u201cWe all knew the dangers and the risks.\u201d<\/p>\n

A second soldier in the same regiment, Pfc. Eric W. Hario, 19, of Monroe, Mich., died that day during the same firefight.<\/p>\n

Jason was born Nov. 8, 1979, in Tampa and raised in Jacksonville with his brother and three sisters. Even as a child, he was easy to get along with. He struck up conversations with his parents\u2019 friends, and hung out with peers who were outgoing like him.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody liked him. People were just drawn to him,\u201d Roger said.<\/p>\n

Jason met his future wife, then named Niki Norvell, in grade school, his mother-in-law Stephanie Norvell said.<\/p>\n

In high school, they re-connected. Jason was fun and adventurous. Niki loved him because he made her laugh, her sister Amy Jensen said.<\/p>\n

They went to prom together. And when Niki moved to Orlando for college, Jason followed. He couldn\u2019t do without her.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was one of those high school romances,\u201d Norvell said.<\/p>\n

Jason thought about going into law-enforcement and majored in criminal justice at UCF. Around his third year of college, the young man began to talk to his father about joining the military, Roger said.<\/p>\n

Jason graduated from UCF in early 2004, Jensen said. That May he enlisted.<\/p>\n

In June 2005 Jason became a Ranger. Three months later, Jason and Niki got married.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn her words, \u2018he was the best,'\u201d Jensen recalled Niki saying.<\/p>\n

Jason said little to his parents about his job. Doing so could end his career as a Ranger.<\/p>\n

Jason won a Purple Heart and two Army Commendation Medals, according to Army officials, but never mentioned them to his parents.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t know anything until we searched on the Internet. There was his picture, getting a Purple Heart,\u201d Roger said.<\/p>\n

They didn\u2019t know where he was serving, either.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Army officials knocked on Roger\u2019s door, bearing the news of Jason\u2019s death. They didn\u2019t need to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cI opened the door and I saw them standing there. I knew,\u201d Roger said. \u201cIt\u2019s just a sad thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

This was written by Willoughby Mariano who can be reached at wmariano@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5171.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Widow Finds Missing Dog Tags\/Wedding Ring<\/span><\/h3>

By: CRYSTAL BRUCE | WSAV TV 3
\nPublished: July 06, 2012
\nUpdated: July 06, 2012 \u2013 4:54 PM<\/p>\n

A cry for help was posted to WSAV\u2019s facebook page last night.<\/p>\n

The posting said an Army widow lost her husband\u2019s dog tags and wedding ring along Tybee Rd.<\/p>\n

Thanks to the help of volunteers, the support from the community and a little luck \u2013 Niki Dahlke found her ring and dog tags!<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s Niki\u2019s email message to WSAV on how\/where she found them.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey. Thank you everyone so much for spreading the word. I never expected people to come out and look for them. Just wanted to spread the word where they could be returned. Myself and some friends had been walking and looking for several hours today.. A friend of mine pulled up and we were leaning on the car drinking water debating if we were looking too far down the road. I looked down and probably thought it was another bottle cap. I bent closer and saw his name. And couldn\u2019t believe it was one of his tags. I looked up a little and there in the road was his other tag. Completely unbelievable. We decided to look around that area for the ring, the chain had broken. After some searching my friend Nora found the ring. I truly did not think I\u2019d find them, but had to look and told myself after today I was done. This was day three. I am incredible thankful. It doesn\u2019t bring him back or change the situation. But I am so happy to have these back, and am so grateful for my friends and everyone that searched and prayed.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"menu_order":32,"template":"","acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/suaspontefoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/memoriam\/538"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/suaspontefoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/memoriam"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/suaspontefoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/memoriam"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/suaspontefoundation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}