MARYSVILLE, APRIL 8: Meet Mason Mosher, the Operation Homefront 2025 Military Child of the Year for the Navy. Mason earned his bachelor’s degree on a naval base in Japan while most of his age group were still finishing high school. He reached the accelerated milestone while balancing academics along with volunteer work and family caregiving responsibilities. This prompted a nomination for the Military Child of the Year award by another volunteer at one of his many programs.
Mason didn’t even know about it.
Once he found out he was a nominee, he was surprised and didn’t think there was a chance he would win.
Mason, 19, is the son of Chief Warrant Officer Jason Mosher of Marysville, Washington and won this award out of 300 nominees. His father Jason Mosher is a 20-year veteran of the Navy, and is based at Naval Station Everett. He has been on missions out of state, the country, and on the sea for 97 months over the course of career with the Navy. During this time, Mason was home studying and caring for his mother.
Mason shared that being a military child afforded him both challenges and opportunities over time. When the family was stationed in Japan, he found himself completing a climb of Mount Fuji. “That was a very immense struggle,” he said. “Once I made it to the top, I got to see above the clouds. I got excited about what I had accomplished.”
As a homeschool student, Mason exceled despite challenges of dysgraphia, a learning difference that affects both written work and physical motor skills. He was able to graduate high school at 16 and complete his associate degree from Liberty University just four months later. Mason continued on with his education and less than two years later graduated cum laude from Liberty University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and advertising.
During all of this, Mason was also a caregiver for his mother while his father was often at sea, usually for all but six weeks of the year. Mason not only earned his bachelor degree but also took care of his mother who was facing health challenges at the time that required frequent hospitalizations and multiple surgeries.
His role as caregiver expanded after his father suffered a back injury while onboard a ship. During this time, Mason completed his college courses while he supported his father through two surgeries to restore mobility. Then just a month after the second surgery, Mason’s mother began treatment for thyroid cancer.
Mason managed medical appointments for both all while offering daily encouragement and still volunteering for several different programs. One of his many programs included volunteer hours at the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society at Naval Station Everett. In the year before his nomination for Military Child of the Year, Mason logged a total of 900 volunteer hours. All this while still caring for his parents and finishing his education goals.
During a phone interview, Mason said that “everyone has something to give” and believes in giving back and promoting community and care for others.
Highlights of Mason’s Service and Leadership
- 2024 President’s Lifetime Service Award recognizing more than 4,000 lifetime volunteer hours
- Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Everett, communications lead and client service assistant, more than 900 volunteer hours
- Assistant Sunday school teacher, while in Japan at Hario Chapel.
- 2016-2017 Virginia Beach 4-H, recognized as Outstanding City-Wide Member and recipient of Herbert W. Ozlin Award
- Military Teen Adventure Camp Counselor
