For Jason Mitchell, it's all about service and a mission, but perhaps not in the way you'd think.

Sure, the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) Chief Warrant Officer 3, now in his second year serving at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, has served his country proudly for 17 years. Yet Mitchell is a man who has another mission of service, and his message of hope is resonating with people throughout the world.

An accomplished and acclaimed Christian rapper and recording artist, Mitchell is a soldier on a mission in more ways than one. Soldier of Christ On A Mission (S.O.C.O.M), Mitchell's alter ego, brings his faith to his music - and people are listening. The Christian rap and hip-hop movement, which launched in the mid 1980s and continues to build momentum and popularity, is the place S.O.C.O.M. feels right at home.

The rapper has received a number of recent accolades for his work in the genre.

He garnered well more than 800,000 votes to be named Christian Hip-Hop Artist of the Year through the Prayze Factor Awards based out of Atlanta; this prestigious honor gives the artist a chance to be named the Grand Finale Champion of every category.

Fresh off a European tour, he recently released a CD, About Face. And his song "No Place I'd Rather Be" has soared to number one on the Christian hip-hop radio station "Jam The Hype with Chris Chicago."

And while the artist loves his life today, things from the past could have taken him down a completely different path. Bad influences, misguided goals and a near-death experience in his formative years influenced both the man and the music.

"I started my music when I was in 5th grade," S.O.C.O.M. said. "As I got older, I started doing it more professionally, but for the wrong reasons and with the wrong groups of people and influences. ... As I got older, and unfortunately went through trials in life, almost dying the day my twin daughters were born, that is when I knew there was more out there for me."

This is when faith entered S.O.C.O.M's life in a big way.

"My faith is huge to me, more than I can explain. I didn't grow up going to church and thought it was just for people with suits," he said. "As I got into church more and saw that it was ‘come as you are,' met some genuine people that really cared and took the time to disciple me, that is when I gave my life to Christ and eventually started walking in my calling and purpose that God had for me, which was through my music because music is where I came from. Now I'm able to reach the same type of people but in a more positive way."

Positive energy and hope is the anchor of the artist's message to his now worldwide audiences.

"There are still so many people that have not heard of Christian rap or think it's corny, but times have changed," he said. "I have a saying that says, ‘what you put in will eventually come out.' If you are filling yourself with a lot of music that curses, degrades women, glorifies self and riches, etcetera, all of these things will also eventually come out of you, and that's not a good thing."

"My music's message overall is that there is hope for a dying and struggling world and that hope is only found in Jesus Christ himself," S.O.C.O.M continued. "Once again, it's not about religiousness per se, but more so a relationship and building genuine relationships with people. There is so much negativity in the world today and music that is just polluting our youth and young adults. My music is a message of testimonies, real life situations and how to overcome things we are dealing with on a daily basis."

To hear the music, see videos, get tour dates, or book the artist, visit the S.O.C.O.M. website at www.socommovement.com. The rapper's music is also available on iTunes.