Family drives Air Force Veteran to serve
A commitment to military service has become a family business for Jason Hutchings. It is what inspired him to serve and what motivated him during his time in the United States Air Force. Now, because of his impressive background as a Special Agent, he is using his skillset to help CPS Energy.
Veterans Day is Nov. 11 and today we shine the light on Jason. He is among more than 330 military Veterans working for our company.
Jason’s interest in military service started at an early age. His father served in the U.S. Air Force and he spent most of his childhood growing up on Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana. Jason was inspired to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“Growing up in a military household, I saw how they take care of their members,” Jason said. “They take care of your college tuition, and you get to travel the world.”
Jason joined the U.S. Air Force in September 2000, but he wasn’t alone in his commitment to his country. His high school sweetheart and now wife, DeAnna, also joined the military and was commissioned in the U.S. Army. She recently retired as a Lieutenant Colonel, and her role allowed the couple to share in some special moments.
The highlight of Jason’s career was a moment that included DeAnna. At the top of the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, with views of the Pentagon and National Cemetery, Jason recommitted to another four years of service. Because DeAnna was an officer in the U.S. Army, she was allowed to reenlist Jason.
During their two-plus decades of service, they started a family and raised five kids: Mason (18), Madaleine (14), Micah (13), Myles (13), and McCarter (6). A growing family came with its own challenges. For Jason, it was five deployments in 18 years. While on duty, his kids became a source of motivation in his work.
Jason served as a Special Agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. He was part of the Internet Crimes Against Children task force. As Jason describes it, the operations of this unit are very similar to the TV show, “To Catch a Predator.”
“As a parent of five children, I was extremely motivated to make arrests in an attempt to save my children or other innocent children from being a victim of sexual exploitation,” he said.
Jason says he had many successful prosecutions of sexual predators, and the job helped him develop his skills in being thorough in his investigations. A skillset that has become valuable to his work at CPS Energy.
After 20 years of military service, the Hutchings family was relocated from Washington D.C. to San Antonio. Jason says he was introduced to CPS Energy by a close friend who knew he wanted to get back into investigations.
For two years, Jason has worked as a Security Fraud & Compliance Investigator. His assignments involve fraud, theft, and internal investigations. There are also times when he assists with city, state and federal law enforcement.
“As a Special Agent, we became very proficient in documentation. I feel this has helped me produce solid investigation reports,” he said. “I have been with CPS Energy over two years and super excited to be part of an excellent team.”
Jason says the camaraderie at CPS Energy reminds him of his experience in the military and allows him to stay connected to other Veterans. Now in a new phase of his life, he hopes to continue helping others find their next challenge and adjust to life as a civilian.
John Elizondo is a contributing writer for CPS Energy.
