Army Pfc. Jake Chandler applied “a very laser-like dedication” in everything he did, his family said, and at 20 years old, achieved the coveted goal of becoming an Army Ranger.
A nationally ranked junior surfer who grew up in Sherman Oaks and Newport Beach and later became a seasonal lifeguard at Huntington State Beach, Chandler applied the dedication and discipline he had for surfing to his goal of joining the Army and working in the special operations community.
“He wanted to do something that was hard in the military, something that a lot of people don’t get to do, something challenging,” said Jared Chandler, his father, who also served for eight years in the Army airborne infantry and the counter-intelligence community. “He wanted to be in an environment with other men that thought like him and that wanted to work hard like him.”
But Chandler’s dreams of being a Ranger, and one day possibly a Green Beret, were cut short when he died in an off-duty related skydiving accident on Oct. 26 in Georgia, where his father said he was training to become a better skydiver, a skill that he might later need as a Ranger and a hobby in which he enjoyed the process, the people and the adrenaline.
On Wednesday, Nov. 5, community members came out to pay their final respects as Chandler’s casket was transported from John Wayne Airport to the First United Methodist Church of Costa Mesa. A procession of vehicles, including personnel from local fire and police departments, as well as California State Parks lifeguards and Huntington Beach Fire Department personnel, accompanied him.
At the church, a contingent of the Patriot Guard, who had ridden alongside, welcomed him, and an Honor Guard from the Army’s National 40th Division carried in his casket for a small, private ceremony that included military honors. A celebration of life is planned along with a paddleout at Bolsa Chica State Beach on Saturday.
“They came out in such a huge force,” Jared Chandler said of those who turned out for the procession in honor of his son. “He was a hard worker and his personality could fill a room. He lived a life that people wanted to remember him.”
California State Lifeguard Lt. Nick Sterrenburg, who is the chief lifeguard for Huntington State Beach and Bolsa Chica, said the department “wanted to support his family; he was one of our own.”
From the moment he met Chandler, Sterrenburg said he was impressed. Chandler was there trying to get a job as a seasonal lifeguard in 2023, and Sterrenburg was one of the state program’s instructors.
Out of the nearly 200 people who try out, Sterrenburg said Chandler was “one of one.”
“He had the ability to inspire others around him at a level well beyond his years,” Sterrenburg said of the then 17-year-old. “He really boosted the morale. Lifeguard training is a trying time for people trying to get through that training and secure a job for the summer. And, it already takes a special person to have that sense of service, but even among that group who are already pursuing service, he was a standout. He was just very motivated and professional for someone of his age.”
What especially stood out, Sterrenburg said, was Chandler’s curiosity to ask the extra questions and also his willingness to help others achieve their goals.
“I’ve trained brand new lifeguards for many years and we only see a few who have that ability,” Sterrenburg said. “He took the time to help others and not only focus on his personal goal.”
Once on board and working the towers at Huntington State Beach, Chandler continued to stand out, making lots of rescues, Sterrenburg said, describing him as being very talented in reading the ocean conditions, which he attributed to Chandler’s surfing background.
“There’s an immediate correlation between somebody who is a skilled surfer and their ability to read ocean conditions,” Sterrenburg said. “He was able to use his experience as an excellent surfer and he made a lot of rescues out of towers.”
When Sterrenburg learned that Chandler was leaving for the Army, and then later made it through the training program to join the elite unit, he said he wasn’t all that surprised.
“His personality and drive led him right to where he wanted to be; it was a goal he set,” Sterrenburg said. “He’s the type of person to put in the work to achieve a goal. I’m very impressed and proud of him for achieving that.”
Jared Chandler said he had been very proud of his son’s surfing career and didn’t really push him to join the Army. But, he said, it was Chandler’s love and devotion to his country that helped push that along.
At 14, Chandler started focusing on his Army goals, his father said. Because of his competitive surfing, he did his schoolwork at a learning center that provided greater flexibility for his schedule. That’s when Jared Chandler said he, along with a family friend, helped train Chandler to prepare for the service. Becoming a seasonal lifeguard was part of that plan.
Chandler joined the Army in March 2024.
This spring, Chandler graduated from the Army’s Ranger Assessment and Selection Program or RASP, an eight-week, two-phase course that has an almost 50% attrition rate and assesses physical ability and mental capabilities. To get there, though, soldiers first need to graduate from basic training and Airborne school and then do a pre-RASP training.
“He was very proud to have earned a job in that organization,” Jared Chandler said. “But getting there was just part of it. Earning a reputation and being a good team member is a big deal. There is a saying there, ‘You have to earn your beret every day.’”
After graduating the RASP, Chandler earned the title of U.S. Army Ranger, 1st Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment.
“This young man was highly motivated and highly skilled and trained with the best to get to this level,” an Army spokesman said.
Jared Chandler said he knew even before his son made it through that Chandler had the motivation he needed to be successful, remembering back to when his son was 9 years old surfing Hawaii’s North Shore.
“It was just his nature, I didn’t have to push him,” his father said. “He was a self-starter. If I told him he’d have to get up at 6:30 to surf, he’d be shaking me at 5:30; he was just motivated.”
And, Sterrenburg, too, can’t forget how impressed he was with Chandler just this past summer, when he used his own leave time to serve his community.
“He asked if he could come back and refresh his skills on July 2, so he could work July 4,” Sterrenburg said. “At 19, he was using his free time to give back. That speaks volumes to his character.”