For over 65 years, Military AutoSource (MAS) has proudly served the U.S. Military community around the world. Military AutoSource understands the difficulty of being stationed or deployed far from home, and Operation Homeward Bound was created to help make that distance feel a little smaller.
For the 8th year in a row, in partnership with Ford, service members were invited to share personal stories for a chance to reunite with loved ones. From hundreds of heartfelt submissions, MAS selected three deserving winners. Each received a $2,500 Delta gift card to fly home, as a small token of gratitude for their service.
Winner 1:
U.S. Army Major Jarett Flexman
Stuttgart, Germany
Nominated by his wife, Jessica, Major Flexman, currently located in Stuttgart, Germany, has been described as always putting others first. Whether it be his children, his brother, or his family as a whole. While balancing his duties to our country, and his family, Major Flexman also unfortunately learned that his brother has been diagnosed with stage 3C Gastric Adenocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer.
By winning this $2,500 Delta Gift Card, Major Flexman now has the ability to spend time by his brother’s side.
Winner 2:
U.S. National Guard Staff Sergeant Emanuel Collado Padilla
Camp Buehring, Kuwait
Staff Sergeant Emanuel Collado Padilla speaks to the resilience being stationed overseas can teach you but also speaks about how the distance can be a constant reminder of how much you miss home, and how many special moments you’ve missed.
The $2,500 Delta Gift Card, allows Staff Sergeant Padilla to return home to visit his mother in declining health, to give her the hug she deserves for her 70th birthday.
This opportunity allows Staff Sergeant Emanuel Collado Padilla to return home from Camp Buehring, Kuwait and be there both physically and emotionally for his mom.
Winner 3:
U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Ryan Bates
Camp Humphreys, South Korea
Stationed at Camp Humphreys in South Korea, U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Ryan Bates wrote in about the milestones that ring most important to any parent, specifically graduations and weddings.
Sergeant First Class Ryan Bates, who recently went through a divorce, serves as the rock for his children, taking on not only all financial responsibilities, as well as raising his children as a single father.
Winning the $2,500 Delta Gift Card means more than travel for Sergeant First Class Ryan Bates. He shared, “it’s an opportunity that will turn two closed doors into two open arms,” giving him the chance to walk one daughter down the aisle and be there as another becomes the first in his family to graduate from college.
Why It Matters
Serving overseas often means being far from the moments that matter most, like graduations, weddings, final goodbyes, and time that cannot be postponed. These are the sacrifices that rarely make headlines but weigh heavily all the same.
For eight consecutive years, Military AutoSource has held this contest bringing service members home when it matters most. It’s one of the ways MAS gives back to the military community, a commitment that will continue in 2026.
Congratulations to all the winners.
About Military AutoSource
Military AutoSource provides a factory-direct program tailored to the unique needs of military life. As the only Exchange and DoD authorized car-buying program, MAS is the exclusive military distributor and retailer for Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Harley-Davidson, Jeep, Nissan, RAM, and Volkswagen vehicles.
Through our program, U.S. Military, DoD civilians and contractors as well as the Diplomatic community can purchase a new or pre-owned vehicle for delivery in the U.S. or to more than 50 overseas duty locations. Learn more about your overseas U.S. Military car-buying benefits.
