IWTC Sailor Named Volunteer Firefighter of the Year

Courtesy Photo | Information Warfare Training Command Virginia Beach Command Logo 

SUFFOLK, VA, UNITED STATES
10.27.2016
Courtesy Story
Center for Information Warfare Training

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A Tulsa, Oklahoma Sailor from Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Virginia Beach was recognized for his volunteer firefighting service during a Suffolk, Virginia, awards ceremony, Oct. 27.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Eddie Smith, who serves as the training directorate leading chief petty officer and course supervisor for the Electronic Warfare Applications (Advanced) "C" school, was named the city's Volunteer Firefighter of the Year.

“Volunteering means a lot to me, said Smith. “I enjoy giving back and investing in the community that I live in. The award shows that, no matter what your particular occupation is, you can always invest time, give back, and get recognized for your service.”

A member of the Whaleyville Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD) 8 team since 2011, Smith is certified as a firefighter and a fire instructor by the state of Virginia. He leads one of WVFD 8's three equipment readiness teams to ensure the manning and readiness of the department's fire engine, tanker and brush truck. He and other volunteers work alongside Suffolk career firefighters.

Smith's military experience in the cryptology field as part of the Navy's information warfare (IW) community also allows him to provide the Whaleyville volunteers with computer and technical expertise, as well as apply the training skills he has learned in the Navy to helping prepare other firefighters.

“I enjoy learning skills that directly translate both in and out of uniform,” said Smith, who is also a Navy Senior Enlisted Academy graduate. “I am able to use my master training specialist skills as a fire instructor and the skills that I learned as a civilian firefighter to help reinforce my basic damage control and shipboard firefighting skill set.”

Smith was recognized for his volunteer contributions last year as well with the 2015 WVFD chief's award.

“I highly encourage finding something that you enjoy doing, or are interested in doing,” said Smith. “You never know who you may inspire or how your volunteer work may help an organization.”

Center for Information Warfare Training delivers trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services, enabling optimal performance of information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.

For more news from Center for Information Warfare Training enterprise, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/cid/, http://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/ceninfodom/, http://www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or http://www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT.

Veterans in Blue - Master Sgt. David Miller

Photo By Staff Sgt. Marianique Santos | Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. David Miller was a junior fire brigade member before he joined the Air Force as a fire protection specialist. During his time in service, Miller was sent to a short tour to Utapao Air Base, Thailand, where he assisted refugees from South Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon. He also deployed in support of Operation Just Cause, where the U.S. invaded Panama. After retiring from the military, Miller became the fire chief for the Town of Moncks Corner fire department. To date, he has spent more than 43 years of his life as a firefighter. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Marianique Santos)

MONCKS CORNER, SC, UNITED STATES

11.03.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Patrick Doll 

3rd Combat Camera Squadron

Miller went to his first firefighting school in Wilson, N.C., in 1969. He joined the Air Force after high school in 1971with a guaranteed job as a fire protection specialist. Miller’s first duty station was Langley Air Force Base, Va., where he met his wife and had his daughter. Six months after getting married, Miller was sent to a short tour to Utapao Air Base, Thailand. During his time there, Miller assisted refugees fleeing from South Vietnam when Saigon fell to the North. After Langley, Miller was stationed in Italy, Florida, and England before he ended up in his last duty station: Charleston AFB, S.C. Miller retired from the Air Force after 22 years, 2 months and 26 days of military service. After a short hiatus, he found himself as the captain of a small fire station in Moncks Corner, S.C.“I’ve done [firefighting] all of my adult life; it’s the only thing I know,” he continued. “The military background is what got me where I am today – there’s no doubt about it.”

Marines, Sailors practice firefighting search and rescue skills

Marines from I Marine Expeditionary Force joined firefighters from the San Francisco area to learn about urban search and rescue techniques Oct. 5, 2016 at building 600 on Treasure Island. The service members learned how to cut through concrete and metal bars, reinforce structures, and move 3-5,000 pounds of concrete with wooden sticks.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES
10.05.2016
Story by Sgt. Cuong Le
Defense Media Activity - Marines

“So today the Marines and the sailors and members of the armed service will be working in conjunction with the San Francisco Fire Department to urban search and rescue skill,” said Jonathan Baxter, a lieutenant with the San Francisco Fire Department. “The urban search and rescue skill includes a number of different parameters but specifically how to remove large portions of rubble in order to get to potential victims.”

The first group of Marines started at the concrete and metal excavation site. The Marines learned how to use reciprocating saws, rebar cutters, rotary hammers, core saws, jackhammers, hydraulic circular saws, hydraulic chain saws, gas-powered circular saws, and hydraulic power units. The Marines learned how to effectively use these tools to cut precision holes through concrete slabs during an urban search and rescue mission to save people who may be stuck underneath fallen concrete.

“We learned about how to use different types of power tools to quickly and safely reach someone on the other side of a concrete slab,” said PFC Travis McKinney, a rifleman with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. “I am not the best guy when it comes to using tools, but with this training I am confident that I would be able to use these new skills to save someone’s life.”

The second group of Marines started at the Emergency Building Shoring station where they learned what type of wood to use, what length to cut the wood to, and how to put the wood together. The Marines would measure the openings that rescue teams would enter and build wooden structures to shore up the building’s strength before sending in teams.

“You never know what you might run into it could be a house on fire, it doesn’t have to even be Marine Corps related,” said PFC Nicholas Bennett an amphibious assault vehicle crewman with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, I Marine Division. “If you have a couple pieces of lumber, it is surprising what you can do. It could save somebody’s life one day.”

The third group started at the heavy lifting station, where the Marines and Sailors learned how to use metal rods and wooden blocks to move 3-5,000 pound of concrete. The service members would set up the wooden blocks to support the weight of the concrete slabs before using metal bars to move them.

“Learning to work together was the most important part of this training,” said Bennett. “With the skills that we learned today, I am pretty confident I could use them to help out during a disaster relief mission.”

Marines from I Marine Expeditionary Force joined firefighters from the San Francisco area to learn about urban search and rescue techniques Oct. 5, 2016 at building 600 on Treasure Island. The service members learned how to cut through concrete and metal bars, reinforce structures, and move 3-5,000 pounds of concrete with wooden sticks.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Julien Rodarte 

Defense Media Activity - Marines

Pilot for a day visits Little Rock AFB

(From right) U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Marcus Scriven, 19th Mission Support Group Fire Department firefighter, helps James Rogers, 17, operate the fire hose during his tour of the fire department Oct. 3, 2016, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Rogers received the tour as part of the Pilot for a Day program, which provides children who have serious or chronic illnesses an opportunity to be part of a flying squadron for an entire day.

LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, AR, UNITED STATES

10.03.2016

Story by Airman Grace Nichols 

19th Airlift Wing

The Pilot for a Day program, began 26 years ago, varies base to base, but each have the same goal: to give service member’s the chance to be directly involved with the local community and allow children with serious or chronic conditions to experience a day in the life of a U.S. Air Force pilot.

“We have many things related to our mission that are just downright cool,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Seth Lake, 314th Operations Group evaluator. “Giving a child from the community who has been faced with so many challenges the chance to interact with those things in a one-on-one environment was just too good an opportunity to pass up.”

James Rogers, a 17-year-old diagnosed with end-stage renal disease, experienced what it’s like to be a pilot for a day. He was paired up with Lake as his wingman, who helped show Rogers the ropes. 

“I hadn’t met James yet, so he was quiet at first,” Lake said. “The most exciting thing was seeing his enthusiasm increasing throughout the day.”

Leaving his day-to-day challenges at the gate, Rogers was dubbed a Combat Airlifter and tasked with the Combat Airlift mission. 

“Regardless of his medical challenges, James is an outstanding young man with a genuinely kind and giving heart,” said Ali Miller, Camp Aldersgate CEO, a non-profit camp which Rogers annually participates in.

Upon his arrival, Rogers was issued a flight suit, complete with patches on each shoulder and a personalized name tape. 

Upon donning an aircrew helmet before boarding a C-130J, the honorary pilot blended in on the flight line with the other aircrew. 

Rogers received a personal tour of an active C-130J Super Hercules, and then experienced what all student pilots endure to become a certified pilot and flew a C-130J in the simulator.

With delighted laughter despite crashing the simulated aircraft, the new pilot learned the basics of flight. “I need more practice,” Rogers said.

Rogers also had the opportunity to witness the full spectrum of Combat Airlift operations.

Knowing Rogers’ passion for firefighting, coordinators included a special stop at the base fire department. 

“He is a Junior Firefighter, and loves everything to do with firefighting,” Miller said.

After Rogers geared up, three firefighters helped him operate a firehose.

“It was a great opportunity for our guys to showcase our job and daily operations and help James live his dream,” said U.S Air Force Master Sgt. Mark Johnson, 19th Mission Support Group Fire Department deputy fire chief.

Rogers was the first member of the community for more than two years to participate in Team Little Rock’s Pilot for a Day program. 

“I hope that the program can continue for years to come and have a meaningful impact on the lives of children in Arkansas,” Lake said. “Overall it was a success, I think James and his family had a good time, and it was a great experience for everyone involved.”

(From left/right) U.S. Air Force Capt. Seth Lake, 314th Operations Group evaluator, shows James Rogers, 17, the C-130J during his tour of the squadron Oct. 3, 2016, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Rogers received the tour as part of the Pilot for a Day program, which provides children who have serious or chronic illnesses an opportunity to be part of a flying squadron for an entire day.

Swan Creek Camporee

SWANTON, OH, UNITED STATES
10.01.2016
Photo by Tech. Sgt. Nic Kuetemeyer
180th Fighter Wing Ohio National Guard

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Kristopher Boysel, 180th Fighter Wing firefighter, gives Boy Scouts from Troop 103 in Maumee some hands-on experience with firefighting techniques and how firefighting relates to the 180FW flying mission on Oct. 1, 2016 in Swanton, Ohio. Boy Scouts from the Erie Shores Council held their 2016 Fall Camporee at the 180FW and were guided through ten areas on base to learn about the Ohio Air National Guard and aviation in pursuit of their Aviation Merit Badge. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Nic Kuetemeyer)