Jason Cox

Tom Finneran here you while listening to parents forum on AM 680 WRKO. Broadcasting from the how to Boston -- voracity -- say it is delighted. To -- to begin a week -- week. With -- an opportunity to speak to went through the airwaves meet. A gentleman -- sad to Jason Cox is an absolute delight and it's marine sergeant Cox. Tom -- Iraq via St. Leo welcome to parents foreman thank you for joining us. We had to do a great I gotta tell it -- story that was reported in the Boston Globe but little bit more than a week ago. Got my attention I said I want to get this guy on the -- want people -- what's going on out the -- and how great. Some of these folks who service and the fact that your Massachusetts kid made it all the better -- You're entirely welcome little background done such as a matter fact you know what we're -- let me tell the story marine sergeant -- why -- I let you tell the story. Which you grow up witty though waited to go to school and then maybe a little bit about zero you joining the a military -- being activated.

Yes sir I I grew up enough opera Massachusetts they're. And down that I went to Worcester Polytechnic Institute that you -- got a degree in chemistry. About halfway and that bounces agree I joined the -- corps reserve with the side. And -- was deployed to Fallujah in 2006. And and now back back -- now Massachusetts back at the PPI do my Ph.D. accurate count there.

No I love this -- president and of this service is good I didn't have much of that at home the day dad gets -- by. And inserts Fallujah was -- would be known as a hot zone I think. Sergeant carts were not.

I'm perhaps two years ago Serb -- complement hearing now things and -- are much different and they were that. --

And I'm just curious -- any member of the -- family. Join the military had been a member of the military have been Toro Liu the first member of your family to join up.

Both of my grandfathers were actually in the service -- during rewards --

And and -- sent verify I'm curious where they Marines as well.

I negative there one with army and the other was -- break.

Excellent well we read it with civilians throughout the United but obviously we follow it closely and you know while -- hot brakes when we see -- servicemen come home sometimes. You know for a a funeral and other times crippled and -- body -- mind don't both. -- And we've been dismayed by that the cottage in the toll taken by IED's roadside bombs. You took a special interest in those roadside bombs and I'm wondering if you could share with. Our audience what you Sar is the danger to you when you have fellow servicemen. And what you did about it.

Yes sir -- as you mentioned before right he's found their huge problem or work huge problem for sometime Barack. I'm trust in 2006 there was a specific type of improvised explosive device that was posing at some problems. Back that was actually. At a roadside bombs that type -- next -- so I sort of personal interest that that reasons there and down. Basically what I did. Was that sort took some existing technology that we had in theater at that time for various reasons. And sort integrate them into a new purpose to help. C. d.s IDs from look -- further away. Well it's -- distance there.

And so he did just to give our audience a sense of what you were up against you might be riding in the turret of a humvee. As spotter are as a -- And without the ability to detect these things they go off -- close proximity and you India your your colleagues you view your fellow servicemen. Either wounded or killed. Because of the proximity. Your goal was to tried to spot these from a safer. Distance. And that premise which is that these devices have that the trigger.

I'm there's a variety different types triggers that are out there are certain I'm a lot of its probably still -- classified but it went don't know that human Phnom. That is right backpack to -- there's there's sort whole spectrum of threats that we need to. So prepare ourselves sports there.

You you wise not to divulge any classified information I have a very very dissident is reputable audience. But it is disturbing to a lot of hot -- I Iraqis -- this typical guy himself I was of the bottles that is -- demonstrated he has. -- you mentioned that you grew up in south burrow in here now it. WP I'd tell us a little bit about a little bit about your family life Sargent.

I guess I'm not married to -- a wonderful life meg Anderson. And we have a a new five month year old daughter Nora.

I have to get used to wrap PS CD as a writer Nora does not like a little insights they loved it what what are the what are the chances and curious because of the globe article indicated how proud you review -- you developing family alive -- professional and educational opportunities. But there's always the chance that you might be activated again.

Absolutely there. I'm you know that that chances always there and down in the reserves -- are always great to go ahead meet that challenge there.

Mrs. at that just just just an absolute unbelievable story a little bit about WPI. And -- high school. Our original white -- can not that has not -- Guy -- if you if you're graduate student do you obviously have you know an adviser a faculty adviser on the like. Was this work that you did overeat Iraq in terms of an enhanced ability to detect. Roadside bombs is it becoming part of the graduate body of work to a do you graduates of great.

I'm not at all there comes from in my formal training think chemistry. And down so that's the sort of work -- the PPI what I did -- Iraq was was was more optics and physics so its really not to relate to my my own research there.

Has anybody ever took years not SOB.

I'm not quite out yet to be part of the process. It's.

you're once -- guy to make all of us I think via I mean just in immensely proud at the Massachusetts connection and obviously a great great. Feelings for -- you fellow servicemen as well as as well as your family. You mentioned that it involved in in but. Pharmaceutical. Research now.

I guess sir on that's sort of my graduate researcher is your vote. Basic.

He's got a great program out of WPI and I don't mean to go off topic but I was involved with the Biotech council in Massachusetts for number years and WPI is really one of the stand -- institutions should get a couple of grad. Graduates who have been successful and have. Shown such devotion to that school and an end to pharmaceutical drug development you're you're in the right place out of -- really. Is it just it's such a great story part of this because of the work you did because of the improvements you made. And I'll I will say yeah you seem like very humble and modest guy -- the lives you've saved actually. Europe you're given an Award by the marine corps could you tell us about the marine corps achievement medal.

I get there it's it's a medal on music that recognizes. Some sort of an affiliate out -- achievement but to sort of going above and beyond. What you're what you normally be doing it that's -- answer.

But well done in the globe article they also mentioned this might be a little bit of an awkward topic but I I I -- to feel free to speak to a they mentioned that a lot of veterans struggle with the transition the transition back to civilian life you've been thrown its with theater you thousands of miles away from home. It is I'll use this were -- a hell halt the violence is unpredictable it's vicious it's brutal. And then you come -- the United States of America with a big the big challenge every night is you know should we do take out our should we you know why should we go out on the grill. And it it clearly the transition can be a challenge the globe mentions that -- and did you apparently had a little a little struggle with that itself.

Yes sir it did down. Like you mentioned I can't speak but -- but on some -- we do come back out from Iraq is sort of at the high level of vigilance when your theater in any compact and of course you need to tone down that global vigilance and to some people like to be YouTube and others and of course Detroit red -- like -- have my -- Trials and tribulations of the process but. No problem now sir and sort of Kurt -- that that led to that incidents there.

I mean I I I raised it again not to put you on the defensive but that for the audience who's out there who thinks that -- why the courts handle certain things in certain ways so there's -- reason and and the guy is -- cost side and you don't know raffia Sam but he was an assistant DA here in Suffolk County. It's a pretty high crime area -- and in some ways a news they had of the gang unit so he's seen tough stuff the bad guys and evil people and all that stuff. And is he read the case privacy got a little emotional and said. This is why -- DA has to be thoughtful because you look at a situation like this there's no question about it all of us would be proud to claim you as a son. And he had this trouble and it's going to go away because -- address that the in the right way.

Now and it should be handled that way by prosecute you know probably on the that you just can't just. That's and get people gone with -- and it charges that their thing now there's a human element everything to every story knows what hit the back you know the back story and in what why something happened and and understand the whole story. Well I guess to spend marine sergeant Jason Cox native of south Borough Massachusetts student at do well out there at WPI. Fabulous work out in the theater route the Iraq would not only fighting depends. The work he did to save lives whose and his you know his brain put that Massachusetts educate us education insane made this that we can save some lives after that graduate degree from WP I'd. Marine sergeant what we've what -- and I going to recommend is that you go to Boston Latin school and get a degree from Bosnia and at that. That is we'll call so maximum quality companies quit. Before we let it go Marines -- anybody in particular that you want to say hello to.

I'm yes there I want say hello to all service members out there we're listening. I'm also two Mike Stanley -- beautiful wife Megan. My parents and down my grandparents.

And that of the little baby excellent and I don't forget Nora. And I have -- Arizona right at the senator that -- Carson's life. It ant -- let's odds -- we're going to let you go we know -- got a lot to do you've been great we need time thanks so appreciated and very very you know wrapping up here entirely welcome and a job well done Samper of five is the Marines say to each other always -- is Latin translation of that graphic. You know that are honestly revenue that is not what you'd call a typical talk radio because -- talk radio you look for friction. Yeah you feel that way about this candidate I feel another way would go back and forth and we invite the audience I'd love to make space for story like this I really don't. And haven't done that we're gonna say again special thanks to army sergeant Jason Cox. You know well someone that's -- shadow -- In heat and I'm sure he would have you know but you know little pressure when he's on the on the radio that. A -- he's awfully proud of the teaches that he had who gave him this education there was this teaches some winter and in drama school high school college whatever who said hey Jason command -- you get talent -- students and the items self teaches its coaches those kind of people.

He's got the technology that they you know that that the government obviously buys this equipment and this technology will detect these -- they want -- camera or not working as affect -- and -- six of them in the field that says -- I think I'm gonna make -- better on his -- town is on -- on time yeah I mean that's perhaps -- with a lot with what equipment -- he was in the laboratory has just that's really great to -- that yes it -- is this fairly should be proud of -- proud of them.