Jared was an only child who grew up in the small rural town of Rocky Mount, Virginia. He loved music, art, and especially reading. He devoured books of every kind—history, religion, biography, nonfiction, and all genres of fiction. After graduating from Franklin County High School in 1999, he spent a year at community college before enlisting in the U.S. Army.

He completed basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and advanced individual training at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. He was then stationed in Bamberg, Germany, with the 54th Engineer Battalion as a track vehicle mechanic. In 2003, he deployed to Iraq during the initial invasion. After his first tour, Jared sought a greater challenge and a more active role. He re-enlisted and changed his military occupational specialty to cavalry scout. After training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, he joined the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Carson, Colorado, and deployed to Iraq again. On December 12, 2005, he was killed in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device struck his M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle during a patrol.

Jared’s legacy endures in the memories of his family, friends, and fellow soldiers.