Staff of Veterans Legacy

Dan Buckwald

Executive Director​

Dan Buckwald graduated from Mapleton High School and joined the U.S. Air Force soon after. He served in the 92nd Security Police Squadron at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, Wash., from 1984 to 1988. He was deployed to Palermo Air Base in Honduras in 1987. Dan joined the Lane County Sheriff’s Office in February of 1989 as a Deputy Sheriff in the Adult Corrections Facility. He spent 13 years of his 29 years at the Sheriff’s Inmate Work Camp, now known as Camp Alma. Dan was promoted and oversaw all operations of the work camp to include housing, work crews, gardens and 100 men housed at the camp. Dan promoted through the ranks to Jail Commander, where he emphasized the importance of fostering relationships in the community and creating inmate programming inside the facility with specific attention to the mentally ill population.

Jason Dougherty

Case Manager/Peer Mentor

Jason Dougherty graduated from Sheldon High School in Eugene in 2002 and soon after joined the United States Marine Corps. He proudly served as an infantryman with Fox Co. 2nd Battalion 5th Marines and was deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his deployments Jason saw combat in the Al Anbar province of Iraq and survived a massive IED blast to his Humvee during his second tour in Ramadi, an event that shaped his life going forward. After completing his tour of duty with the Marine Corps, Jason spent time traveling and living abroad while adjusting back to civilian life. Jason has spent many years dealing with PTSD from his combat experience and the effects it can have on a veteran’s personal life and mental health. Through those experiences, he has found a profound desire to assist other veterans in their own recovery and to give back to the veteran community that has been so important in his own life. Jason began working with Veterans Legacy in 2019 as a volunteer because he believed in their mission to its core and was honored when offered the opportunity to work as a case manager and peer support for our local veterans in need.