249th Marine Corps Birthday Ball Celebration

The Grand Wayne Center

Event Hall C

120 W. Jefferson Blvd.

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

The Marine Corps Birthday Ball has always been a night of celebration commonly attended in black-tie attire, or your dress blues.  However, we are delighted to have all attendants in their best dress.

Music will be provided by Rob Jackson with Noise Pollution

Photographs will be provided by Tim Herald with Herald Photography.  All attendees will receive one free professional photograph.  Additional photos will be available for purchase.

Rooms are available for a discounted rate at $108 + tax through The Hilton Hotel located at 1020 South Calhoun Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802, which is conveniently attached to the Grand Wayne Center!.  Please click on the link below to book your room today! (Rooms must be booked by October 21, 2024 to receive the group discount). 

https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/fwafhhf-mar-dc2126ba-9f15-4254-8be8-c7f28e3f041d/

If you choose to park in the parking garage, you must bring your ticket to the registration desk to be validated.  Parking in the Civic Center Parking Garage is free thanks to a sponsor.  If you are staying in the Hilton, you do not need to bring your parking ticket to get validated.  The hotel charges you $15 for you to park in the Civic Center Parking Garage.

Civic Center Parking Garage, 101 E. Washington Blvd. - Connects via skybridge to the Hilton Hotel and Grand Wayne Convention Center.

You may drop off guests on Jefferson St. in front of the Grand Wayne Center at the green doors, and then move your vehicle to the parking garage.

Our Guest of Honor for the evening will be Destiny Rescue CEO and Marine, Jason Tash.

Jason is known for his altruistic nature and passion for freedom and justice. These characteristics and following his family heritage of those who served in the US Armed Forces led Jason to enlist in the

Marine Corps.

When Operation Desert Shield began, Jason bumped his ship date to MCRD San Diego in January 1991 as an open contract. He completed Marine Combat Training at Camp Pendleton and was assigned to Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School in Twentynine Palms for MOS 2542 training. He was then assigned his duty station at 2d SRIG 8th Comm. Bn. Camp Lejeune, where he would complete Desert training, Cold Weather Operations training, Water Combat

Survival training, Satcom/CommStrat Warfare training and SERE training. Jason received an honorable discharge in 1995.

“You can’t do everything, but you can do something, and that something can change everything for someone else.” – Jason Tash.

This thought, combined with his devotion to Jesus, drove him to help launch a youth outreach program in Whitley County, a food program for impoverished children, a recovery program for those struggling with hurts, hang-ups, and habits, an archery program for families, and a free clothing resource for the community. 

Today, as the CEO of Destiny Rescue, USA, Jason draws from his extensive experience in organizational leadership, team development, and mission-driven work gained from his service in the Marines, executive leadership in real estate banking, 25 years of pastoring and executive

leadership coaching to provide vision, strategy, and missional excellence and help play a leading role in ending child trafficking in our lifetime.

Jason shares from his eyewitness testimony the realities of this evil and the miraculous change that happens when we decide to do something about it.

Jason has been married to his amazing and beautiful wife, Patricia, for 31 years. They enjoy life with their three children and three grandchildren.