Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort’s Fire Chief, Darran Vaughn, was selected as the Marine Corps Installations Command’s Civilian of the Year

Fire Chief Darran Vaughn stands in front of Ladder 88 aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, April 5. Vaughn won the Marine Corps Installations Command Civilian of the Year award for GS-13 and below.

BEAUFORT, SC, UNITED STATES
04.16.2019
Story by Cpl. Ashley Phillips
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort’s Fire Chief, Darran Vaughn, was selected as the Marine Corps Installations Command’s Civilian of the Year for GS 13 and below, March 15. There will be an official award ceremony at later date.

“I didn’t know I was submitted for the award,” Vaughn said. “I guess they took my write up from when I won MCAS Beaufort Civilian of the Quarter and submitted that. I don’t know too much about the award. I’m just doing what I’ve been doing since I was 16.”

Vaughn began volunteer firefighting at the age of 16 before enlisting in the Marine Corps. Following his passion, he became an aircraft recovery and firefighting Marine. After serving eight years in the Marine Corps, he continued firefighting as a civilian.

“When I got out of the Marine Corps I began working for Burton Fire,” Vaughn said. “I worked at Fort Stewart for about a year and then got hired here at MCAS Beaufort in 1996. I’ve been working here ever since.”

Fire Chief Darran Vaughn has breakfast at Hangar One with his firefighters and emergency services personnel aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, April 5. For the firefighters on this shift they have family breakfast and family dinner on Fridays to foster camaraderie.

In the past 23 years, Vaughn has worked his way up from firefighter, to captain, to assistant fire chief and chief. It is now in his years as a chief that he has brought about the most positive changes which have led directly to the success of the fire department and ultimately of MCAS Beaufort.

“Under Chief Vaughn's guidance, the MCAS Fire and Emergency Services division was named Fire Department of the Year for small installations in 2018 and Fire Prevention Program of the Year,” said David Wilson, the logistics officer of MCAS Beaufort. “Those accomplishments speak volumes about Chief Vaughn's technical expertise, training capabilities, and his love of his profession.”

Even when Vaughn was an active duty Marine he still volunteered with local fire departments. He has spent a total of 25 years working with Burton Fire Department both volunteer and paid. Even now, he volunteers with Burton, Colleton County, and Walterboro. When he’s not firefighting, volunteering or running MCAS Beaufort FES he teaches at the South Carolina Fire Academy, which he has taught at since 1994.
“I became the interim Fire Chief in 2016,” Vaughn said. “My time at MCAS Beaufort is coming to an end—at 57 I have to do a mandatory retirement. Later this year we will know more if I’ll be leaving this year or next. I might get an extension or I might go home. But I’m not going to quit firefighting; I’ve been doing it way too long. I knew it was what I needed to do even before I started volunteer firefighting. When I was 15, there was a huge fire in my town and seeing the community come together like that left a huge impression with me. I wanted to be a part of that.”

Ever since then, Vaughn has carried that servant leadership with him throughout his career both in and out of the Marine Corps. His efforts to build relationships and mutual aid agreements with the local fire departments enhance MCAS Beaufort’s mission readiness. He continues to work tirelessly to maintain the highest standard of morale, safety, professionalism, and readiness, Wilson said.

His award nomination states, “The return on his efforts have been evident in numerous recent lifesaving, water rescue, and firefighting emergencies on MCAS Beaufort, Laurel Bay and in the greater Beaufort community. His leadership has solidified MCAS Beaufort FES as a model emergency response team. His dedication to mission and his “can do” attitude has consistently been above and beyond the norm. His deliberate approach to problem-solving, ability to garner consensus, cooperation, and team building has made him an integral member of the MCAS Beaufort staff and make him very deserving of this recognition.”

The Civilian of the Year award was established by the Commanding General of MCICOM to give public recognition for civilian employees for distinguished or extraordinary service to the command. Out of nearly 30,000 employees, Vaughn was selected as the 2018 COY.

“To be singled out for superior performance among that number of employees is truly significant,” Wilson said. “That level of recognition indicates commitment to the mission and organization, and performance of duties above one's peers and that sets a standard for which others can aim.”

Chief Vaughn has three daughters and four grandchildren. To give back to the community, he regularly coaches and referees high school sports. As his career at MCAS Beaufort draws to an end, his goals remain the same—to leave his firefighters with the best training and support to continue on his legacy and the high level of efficiency MCAS Beaufort FES is known for.

“The MCAS Fire Department is a team of professionals—they execute their mission with technical accuracy, teamwork, and compassion for those they serve,” Wilson said. “If I were to find myself in a situation where I need emergency first response, I want the MCAS team.”

USNS Guadalupe Performs Testing on Foam Fire Monitoring System

INDIAN OCEAN
04.16.2019
Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class David Wyscaver
Military Sealift Command Far East 

190416-N-WF604-095 INDIAN OCEAN (April 16, 2019) -- Civilian mariners onboard fleet replenishment oiler USNS Guadalupe (T-AO 200) perform testing of the ship's Foam Fire Monitoring System April 16. Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oilers provide fuel and dry cargo support to customers via underway and vertical replenishment. (Photo by David Wyscaver)

Joint Task Force - Bravo participated in (CENTAM SMOKE)

A team comprised of Central American firefighters extinguish a flame in a simulated helicopter during the Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experiences (CENTAM SMOKE) exercise, April 1, 2019, at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. CENTAM SMOKE brought together firefighters from Honduras, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador to train with U.S. Air Force members as well as develop bonds and understandings of one another’s culture with team building exercises. The weeklong training included aircraft and structural fires, vehicle extrication, and a firefighter combat challenge. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Eric Summers Jr.)

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, HONDURAS
04.15.2019
Story by Staff Sgt. Eric Summers
Joint Task Force - Bravo 

Firefighters from five Central American countries and Joint Task Force - Bravo participated in Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experiences (CENTAM SMOKE) exercise, from April 8 - 12, here.

CENTAM SMOKE, a biannual event hosted by the 612th Air Base Squadron, brought together firefighters from Honduras, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador to train with U.S. Air Force members as well as develop bonds and understandings of one another’s culture with team building training.

“This week we had CENTAM SMOKE 19-01,” said Master Sgt. Troy Romans, 612th Air Base Squadron assistant chief of training, “Its an exercise where we bring in all the other Central America countries here to Soto Cano to practice firefighting tactics and techniques and share our experiences and differences from around this area.”

The training included safety briefs and information, breathing apparatus indoctrination, and several live fire scenarios.

“We experienced several different aspects of the firefighter world like structural fires, some extrication on cars,” said Norman Chang-Diaz, Costa Rica National Fireman Academy director. “We also did some wildfires, which was very nice. We did some of the aircraft trainers with real fire.”

The weeklong exercise also consisted of a fire-fighting challenge with every day being a different journey

“Everyday had its own difficulty,” said Chang-Diaz. “I would say the second day, in particular, it was particularly hot because it rained the night before and we had to do the challenge; so we were sweating the whole day. In general, every day had its own difficulties, but they were not bad.“

Some of the training scenarios placed the mixed groups of CENTAM firefighters in temperatures of more than 600 degrees. Their gear helped provide protection from the heat, but also allowed them to meld bonds of teamwork and friendship.

“You know we spend the whole week with these guys talking and chatting and even with the language barrier we are still able to communicate and we make a whole lot of connections each time we have this,” said Romans. “The greatest benefit for me is just the experience of bringing all of these guys together and it’s not something I have seen anywhere else in my career. Bringing all these different countries together to do this throughout the week, which would be the greatest benefit seeing these different cultures and how they react with emergency situations.”

Chang-Diaz, agreed that the best part of the training was the camaraderie that was built.

“I would say the experience of sharing knowledge and sharing ideas with the rest of the teams. We are in countries that are very close together and sometimes we end up doing things together,” Chang-Diaz said. “That alone was one of the best things I can bring back to our home country and for sure. We also wanted to invite everybody to come to Costa Rica and train with us as well.”

While expressing his satisfaction of the training he also wanted to thank the Airmen for hosting the exercise.

“Everyone was so nice and so helpful that we cannot say thank you enough,” Chang-Diaz continued. “We were so excited and thrilled by the way you guys treated us and we are thankful for the opportunity and we feel privileged that we were able to come here.”

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rafael Paredes tests water cannons

CLARK AIR BASE, PHILIPPINES
04.10.2019
Photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Harmon
3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade 

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rafael Paredes tests water cannons on an A/S32P-19A fire truck at Clark Air Base, Philippines, April 10, 2019, during Exercise Balikatan. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171 test firefighting equipment every morning to ensure safety on the runway. Balikatan promotes regional security and humanitarian efforts for U.S. allies and partners. Paredes, a Nogales, Arizona native, is an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Marine with MWSS-171. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Harmon)

Alaska Army Guardsmen save four after plane crash

A single-engine Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six crash-landed about 35 miles northeast of Bethel, April 11, 2019. Soldiers with the Alaska Army National Guard's 207th Aviation Battalion rescued the four survivors and transported them to Bethel, a coastal community in western Alaska that sits along the Kuskokwim River, inside the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. Alaska State Troopers contacted the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center to request a search and rescue mission out of Bethel, where an Alaska Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk and aircrew are stationed full-time. (Photo Credit: Courtesy)

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska
By Candis Olmstead, Alaska National Guard
April 15, 2019

Soldiers with the Alaska Army National Guard's 207th Aviation Battalion saved four individuals after they were in a plane crash about 35 miles northeast of Bethel, April 11.

Alaska State Troopers contacted the RCC Thursday to request a search and rescue mission out of Bethel, where an Alaska Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk and aircrew are stationed full-time.

"We were scheduled to depart for Dillingham earlier Thursday, but were delayed due to severe turbulence in our route of flight," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Cody Bjorklund, the Black Hawk command pilot on the mission. "Our delayed departure coincided with the RCC request, so we were able to respond immediately," he said.

Bjorklund said they were notified that the four passengers were uninjured, and they received grid coordinates for the crash site of the single-engine Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six from the RCC.

"It took us 20 minutes to reach the crash site, which was easily identified in the middle of the tundra," said Bjorklund.

According to the RCC, there is no substitute for a properly installed, properly registered 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitter. Upon manual or automatic activation, it gets 100 percent of the attention of RCC personnel and directs them to the beacon's location within minutes, prompting them to coordinate a rescue mission.

"The pilot did an excellent job in his emergency landing, and their operational 406 Beacon expedited their rescue," said Bjorklund.

The four passengers were returned to Bethel, a coastal community in western Alaska that sits along the Kuskokwim River, inside the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge.

The 207th Aviation Battalion was awarded four saves for this mission.