Sunday, August 14, 2016

More Than Navy Recruiters: Forging A Team, Impacting A Community

More than Recruiters: NRD Nashville Color Guard
MADISON, Tenn. (July 19, 2016) Damage Controlman 2nd Class Jamie Parker, left, Operations Specialist 1st Class James Miller, center, and Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Allen Barreto, pose for a photo at NRS Rivergate. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Timothy Walter/Released)
NASHVILLE, TN, TN, UNITED STATES
08.12.2016
Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Timothy Walter
Navy Recruiting District Nashville

A firefighter, a bomb builder, and a man who studies dots on a screen walk into an office just outside of Nashville. They sit down each day and work a very different job – putting people in the U.S. Navy. The paperwork and community interactions are a far cry from the high stakes skill craft that they each display on the seas. Still, they deliver despite the change of pace and the change of work. And they don’t stop there.
Whether it’s at a retirement ceremony, or during the national anthem at a hockey game, or even the massive stadium of the Tennessee Titans, these three Sailors from Navy Recruiting Station Rivergate are some of the most visible faces of the Navy in a town known more for country music than its naval connections.
As members of Navy Recruiting District Nashville’s color guard, they regularly spend their off time making an impression on the community. They often receive thanks, which are followed by the common refrain: “What’s the Navy doing in Tennessee?”
The truth is that the Navy, in the case of these Sailors, came out of a Tennessee.
Damage Controlman 2nd Class Jamie Parker grew up in Memphis. Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Allen Barreto hails from the opposite side of the state in Knoxville. And the leader of the group, Operations Specialist 1st Class James Miller was raised in a little suburb just outside of Music City called La Vergne.
But saying that each is from Tennessee and thus the same is like saying that because each is in the Navy that they all rig sails. The state, like the service, is much more complicated. In fact, the flag of Tennessee has three stars to represent what is known as the three grand divisions of east, middle and west Tennessee. Each division’s main city happens to be where these Sailors call home. The different regions represent very disparate areas of culture, demographics and identity. And somehow, through fate or fortune, these three met in the middle just outside Nashville in Madison, Tenn. And sitting in the office which is tucked in a strip mall, they call themselves a team.
“I’ve never been so excited to just come into work each day,” said Miller. “I literally wake up excited and start compiling a list of what we can get accomplished. They are just as excited to try to get done everything I come up with. They put it into action and make it all work.”
As the leading petty officer of Rivergate, Miller is charged with setting the pace and managing the station. He transferred to the office in October 2015 after spending time at another station in the division for several months. It was a move that he was at first unsure about and then grew to love. Things just clicked when he joined up with the Parker and Barreto. The team was recently recognized as the best large station of the quarter within the command. Considering how much they see each other both as recruiters and color guard members, Miller said he is surprised at how well the chemistry continues to work.
“It would be possible to get sick of each other but not here. They always put in the extra effort and make mission first,” he said.
Jokes fly around the office and laughter often punctuates the normal hum of the community printer and clicking of keyboards. It’s an office space without the feel of an office, more like a locker room getting for the game. And when future Sailors walk in, each Sailor has a unique story to tell.
For Parker, that story might be a steam leak. As a Damage Controlman, he is charged with helping to protect a ship from fire and flooding, not to mention chemical, biological and radiological attacks. One time, steam was the enemy he faced. Normally, it powered the catapults that help sling aircraft off the flight deck. On this day, it threatened to rip apart the ship with fire.
“Waking up at 2:00 a.m. in morning to combat that casualty, my heart was pounding. The fire jumped out and surprised us but I was able to find and use a hot water hose in the compartment and put it out. Instead of having all these drills, it was like actually getting in the game.”
The pace of being a firefighter is what Parker said he missed most. Yet he has found other ways to keep the tempo going. When he’s not marching on a field in his dress uniform with the color guard, he is working on his bachelor’s degree in business management or helping to run the audio production for a local artist, not to mention his side job in real estate.
“I am always trying to learn as much as possible,” he said with a smile.
In fact, each member of Rivergate is pursuing a degree and Miller is only one class away from completing his in finance.
The motivation for success is shared equally among them. For Barreto it is a link that reminds him of the flight deck where he would assemble and load bombs for the aircraft.
“It’s a different tempo but the same camaraderie,” Barreto said. “I compare it to being a part of football team. Everyone is working hard out there together. At the end of the day you are tired and sweating but everyone put in good work and got the job done.”
When someone asks Miller about his job, he starts talking about radio frequencies and radar screens and dives into the subject with zeal.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Miller, who was recently recognized as Sailor of the Quarter for NRD Nashville. “Always knowing where you are in the ocean and what is going to happen next is a real advantage to the rate.”
He has carried that zeal from sea to shore and found a new reason to love the Navy in the process.
“I joined the Navy and didn’t know what an operations specialist did. I didn’t care about what job I was going to be doing. Ultimately, I just wanted to be in the Navy so I could have the opportunity to go to college. That was eight years ago and now I want to stay in for the leadership opportunities.”
The Sailors of Rivergate each impact the community as they visit schools and simply show up in their uniform. When they prepare for their color guard presentations the effect goes both ways.
“It gives you a little bit more of that pride you first had in boot camp because you get to go out and represent something more than yourself,” said Barreto.
Miller added that it is a good way to remind himself of the duty he has to show the Navy in the best possible light.
“As soon as you start putting on the color guard accessories, you’re a lot more focused on military bearing and making sure everyone is in step.”
The change reveals itself in moment like a call to attention with a spoken word. The smiles turn serious and their bodies straighten up. Their hands tighten and they stare straight ahead. Suddenly, a few normal Sailors become something else, some more as they begin their march holding the flag of their country. It’s a melding of mind for brief time and out of many different backgrounds, they become one.
“It’s three of us in a city of thousands of people. But when you have a few people on the same page going forward together, you simply don’t need as many people to accomplish a goal,” Parke said.
NRD Nashville is one of 13 districts which make up Navy Recruiting Region East. More than 100,000 square miles are assigned to NRD Nashville including counties in Tennessee, Arkansas, northern Alabama, northern Georgia, northern Mississippi, southern Kentucky and Southwestern Virginia.
For more information on NRD Nashville, visit us at http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/nashville/ or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NRD.Nashville
More than Recruiters: NRD Nashville Color Guard
 MADISON, Tenn. (July 19, 2016) Damage Controlman 2nd Class Jamie Parker displays awards, certificates and mementos above his office desk at NRS Rivergate. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Timothy Walter/Released)

Fire truck begins 3,700 mile journey

Fire truck begins journey to Nicaragua
Loadmasters with the 439th Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve Command, secure a 1982 Mack 1250 GPM pumper fire truck onto a C-5B Galaxy at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst N.J., August 12, 2016. The truck will be flown to Managua, Nicaragua. Master Sgt. Jorge A. Narvaez, a traditional New Jersey Air National Guardsman with the 108th Security Forces Squadron, was instrumental in getting the truck donated to a group of volunteer firefighters in Managua. The truck donation is done through the Denton Program, which allows U.S. citizens and organizations to use space available on military cargo aircraft to transport humanitarian goods to countries in need. The 439th is located at Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen/Released)
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ, UNITED STATES
08.12.2016
Story by Master Sgt. Mark Olsen
108th Wing

A New Jersey fire truck began a 3,700 mile journey to its new home in Managua, Nicaragua.
The 1982 Mack 1250 GPM pumper fire truck was loaded onto a 439th Airlift Wing C-5B Galaxy at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, August 12, 2016.
It takes a lot of work to send a fire truck to another country.
Specifically, it takes the Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve and the active-duty Air Force, as well as a host of government agencies.
More importantly, it takes an individual to recognize a country’s need for that fire truck and pursue it.
Master Sgt. Jorge A. Narvaez, a traditional New Jersey Air National Guardsman with the 108th Security Forces Squadron, was responsible for getting that fire truck sent to Nicaragua.
Narvaez, who is originally from Nicaragua, came to the United States in 1981 and has served with the Princeton Police Department as a patrolman for 22 years. He joined the 108th Wing in October 1992 and in 1999, he transferred to Security Forces, where he serves on the Commander's Support Staff.
“I’ve always felt compelled to help, it fulfills me as a human being, trying to make a difference,” Narvaez said.
In 2014, Narvaez travelled to Nicaragua. While he was there, he visited the headquarters of the Benemerito Cuerpo de Bomberos – a group of volunteer firefighters located in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua.
“I saw that they were in dire need of serviceable fire trucks and equipment,” said Narvaez. “I offered to help and get them assistance in the United States. I explained to them that I couldn’t make any promises, but that I would try to do my best.”
Narvaez talked to Ray Wadsworth, the former Fire Chief of Mercer Engine No. 3 in Princeton, N.J., and was able to get some coats, boots and hoses that had been slated for replacement. Like their counterparts in Nicaragua, the Princeton firefighters are also volunteers.
The Nicaraguan firefighters were grateful for the donated gear, but their need for a new truck remained.
In 2015, an opportunity presented itself.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration informed mercer Engine No. 3 that they would have to replace two of their fire trucks. One of them, a 1982 Mack 1250 GPM pumper truck, could no longer be used because the open cab was considered a safety hazard.
“Mr. Wadsworth felt that one of the trucks could be donated,” Narvaez said. “We began to work together and doing all that was required to get the truck from the city.”
To get the ball rolling, Narvaez sent a letter to Robert Gregory, Princeton’s director of emergency services, explaining how the retired truck could be put to good use in Latin America. Princeton responded by putting the truck up for a symbolic auction.
“They sold it to me for a dollar,” Wadsworth said.
In addition to the truck, 13 sets of boots, six jackets, and 1,200 feet of two and a half inch hose were included.
“The truck is fully equipped, all it needs is for the tank to be filled with water,” Wadsworth said.
“I also took a video of the truck, how to start it up; giving directions on how to operate it,” Narvaez said.
Now you can’t just donate a fire truck to another country, there’s a process for it and it involves the Denton Program.
The Denton Program, which is jointly administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of State and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, allows U.S. citizens and organizations to use space available on military cargo aircraft to transport humanitarian goods to countries in need. U.S. Sen. Jeremiah Denton created the program as an amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The amendment states "the Secretary of Defense may transport to any country, without charge, supplies which have been furnished by a non-governmental source and which are intended for humanitarian assistance. Such supplies may be transported only on a space available basis." Since 1998, more than 5.6 million pounds of humanitarian supplies have been sent to more than 50 countries.
What followed was a flurry of activity as Narvaez made contact with officials at the U.S. Embassy in Managua and Air Force officials who would arrange for the truck’s 3,700-mile journey. The sign things were moving along came when he was put in touch with Chief Master Sgt. Juan Claudio of the 514th Air Mobility Wing, Air Force Reserve, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., who went to Princeton to get the truck’s measurements and provide guidance on getting it ready for flight.
The only thing left was the letter of approval – the airlift certification letter.
It came on June 3.
The letter assigned the 439th Airlift Wing – an Air Force Reserve unit based at Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass., with airlifting the fire truck on one of their C-5 Galaxy aircraft.
On August 12, all the work by Narvaez and Claudio – the 108th Wing, the 514th Air Mobility Wing and the 439th Airlift Wing, along with USAID, the Department of State, and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency came together.
For Narvaez, there is one final take away from this.
“I want Airmen to see this and know that they can do this as well,” Narvaez said. “There are many countries in the world that can use our help and there are always things you can do to help people.”
Fire truck begins journey to Nicaragua
Loadmasters with the 439th Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve Command, load a 1982 Mack 1250 GPM pumper fire truck onto a C-5B Galaxy at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst N.J., August 12, 2016. The truck will be flown to Managua, Nicaragua. Master Sgt. Jorge A. Narvaez, a traditional New Jersey Air National Guardsman with the 108th Security Forces Squadron, was instrumental in getting the truck donated to a group of volunteer firefighters in Managua. The truck donation is done through the Denton Program, which allows U.S. citizens and organizations to use space available on military cargo aircraft to transport humanitarian goods to countries in need. The 439th is located at Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen/Released)

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Nearly 400 California Army National Guard Soldiers are called up to be trained as hand crews to fight wildfires

Nearly 400 California Army National Guard Soldiers are called up to be trained as hand crews to fight wildfires
Nearly 400 California Army National Guard Soldiers from the Southern California 578th Brigade Engineer Battalion are called up, Aug. 2, 2016, to be trained by CAL FIRE as Type II hand crews to fight wildfires in the state. The majority of the troops have served on a fire line before but this is the first time in almost a decade that the hand crews are the main support over the aviation assets. While at Camp Roberts the Soldiers are trained on use of the tools of the trade, the shovel, the McLeod, the Pulaski, hoses, fire shelter, line cutting and more. A lesson learned from previous years are fire boots are broken in right away. Once certified teams will be transported to the Soberanes Fire near the Monterey Pennisula for up to 19 days. CAL FIRE will continue to work on putting the fire out but these men and women ranging in skill sets from a cook, a mechanic, a IT communication specialist, to a combat engineer will be used to mop up hot spots, lay miles of water hoses and clear fire breaks. Last year more than 1000 Soldiers were called up. They worked on 14 fires and cleared more than 75,000 miles of terrain. (U.S. Army National Guard photo/Master Sgt. Paul Wade)
CAMP ROBERTS, CA, UNITED STATES
08.01.2016
Story by Capt. Will Martin
California National Guard

For the soldiers of Task Force 578, drawn primarily from Southern California’s 578th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 40th Brigade Support Battalion, the call to mobilize came quickly, a reminder that readiness is central to guardsmen’s duty.

“I received the call Thursday evening around 1800,” said Sgt. Michael Griffin, who had just returned from a day of construction work near San Diego when he learned he’d be joining the rest of Task Force 578 the following morning. Rather than frustrated, though, Griffin was anxious to get on the fire lines.

“I anticipate a little more action because we have the saw teams now, so we’re going to be a little more busy,” said Griffin, who worked on Cal Guard hand crews last summer. “I’d say half the people here have experience, now, so they’re going to use us a lot more.”

Task Force 578 arrived at Camp Roberts Aug. 1 to conduct three days of Cal Fire training before deploying Aug. 4 as three teams to the Soberanes Fire near Big Sur. Each crew, or “line” in the team is led by 2-3 Cal Fire firefighters, armed with chainsaws and decades of firefighting experience.

“They decided to assign saw teams to these hand crews so that we can put in a little more productive line, which is why we have two firefighters with every line,” said Kyle Lunsford, a Cal Fire firefighter out of Mendocino County.

The Guard, said Lunsford, is fundamental to Cal Fire’s effort to keep California’s wildfires in check.

“It’s a big thing, especially when Cal Fire is spread throughout the state,” said Lungsford. “We run out of resources pretty quick. … It makes it a whole lot easier to be able to have these giant crews ready to roll and put in line.”

Armed with shovels, axes, and McLoed tools, Cal Guard hand crews work to create “fire breaks” — gaps in vegetation that act as barriers to slow or stop the progress of a fire — and to mop up hot spots and small blazes that remain after a large fire has passed through an area.
In 2015, more than 1,000 Cal Guard hand crew soldiers worked 14 fires and cleared more than 75,000 miles of terrain.

"Wildfires are at the heart of the Cal Guard emergency-response mission, which is why we train so closely with CAL FIRE throughout the year," said Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin, adjutant general of the California National Guard. "Whether it's our hand crews on the ground or our aircraft above, we're fully equipped and trained to support our civilian partner agencies throughout the wildfire season."

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Firefighter now Recruiter for Air Force assigned to Monona

MONONA -- Staff Sgt. Thomas Brooks has been assigned to the Air Force recruiting office, located at 6524 Monona Drive, Monona.

As an Air Force recruiter, Brooks is responsible for inspiring, engaging and recruiting future airmen to deliver airpower for America in the Jefferson, Fort Atkinson, Lake Mills, Watertown and Beaver Dam areas.

Prior to his assignment in Monona, he was assigned to Langley Air Force Base in Virginia as a firefighter. He has been to Phoenix, Seoul, Qatar and Bahrain during his nine-year tenure with the Air Force.

Since then, he has been a recipient of three Air Force Achievement Medals and one Accommodation Medal. Brooks also received his associate's in fire science and a bachelor of arts degree in studio art and is currently pursuing his master of arts degree in management.

For more information about Air Force opportunities, contact Brooks at 608-345-0477.

Monday, August 8, 2016

Reservists, C-130s depart to assist aerial firefighting efforts

A 302nd Airlift Wing Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130H taxis on the runway at Peterson Air Force Base early Aug. 3, 2016. MAFFS was activated to assist with fire fighting efforts in the Western states. This is the first MAFFS activation of the season. (U.S. Air Force photo/Daniel Butterfield)
A 302nd Airlift Wing Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130H taxis on the runway at Peterson Air Force Base early Aug. 3, 2016. MAFFS was activated to assist with fire fighting efforts in the Western states. This is the first MAFFS activation of the season. (U.S. Air Force photo/Daniel Butterfield)
By 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs, / Published August 03, 2016

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --
An Air Force Reserve C-130 equipped with a U.S. Forest Service Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System departed here today to support ongoing aerial fire fighting efforts in the Western U.S. 
 
The Reserve wing received the request for assistance for one MAFFS-equipped C-130 and crew from the National Interagency Fire Center earlier this week.
 
“We are mobilizing MAFFS to ensure that we continue to have adequate airtanker capability as we experience elevated wildfire activity in Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Montana, Oregon, Washington, California and elsewhere in the West,” said Aitor Bidaburu, Chair of NMAC in NIFC’s Aug. 2 news release that announced the activation of MAFFS. 
 
The Peterson-based 302nd Airlift Wing C-130 and aircrew will be joined by a second MAFFS-equipped C-130 from the 153rd AW, Wyoming Air National Guard as they operate and support U.S. Forest Service aerial fire fighting efforts from the Boise Tanker Base, Boise, Idaho in this first MAFFS activation of 2016.
 
“MAFFS will provide a needed surge air tanker capability to the U.S. Forest Service with the increased fire activity in the West,” said Col. James DeVere, commander of the 302nd AW.
 
“Our aircrews completed annual MAFFS training in May and are ready to support,” added DeVere.
 
The MAFFS certified Reservists are expected to fly fire containment missions based from Boise, Idaho and other Western U.S. locations as needed.
 
Eight MAFFS-equipped  DOD C-130s are operated by four military airlift wings: The 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard; 146th Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard; 145th Airlift Wing, North Carolina Air National Guard; and the 302nd Airlift Wing, U.S. Air Force Reserve Command.
 
MAFFS is a self-contained aerial firefighting system, owned by the U.S. Forest Service, that can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.
 
The DOD, through U.S. Northern Command at Peterson AFB, provides unique military support to firefighting efforts when requested by the National Interagency Fire Center and approved by the Secretary of Defense.  These diverse mission assets are prepared to respond quickly and effectively to protect lives, property, critical infrastructure and natural resources, and can include, but are not limited to, MAFFS, military helicopters and ground forces capable of supporting the firefighting efforts.

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