Massachusetts Fire Fighter Receives Military Honor

Attleboro, MA Local 848 fire fighter Paul Jacques (left) shakes hands with General Burt Field.

February 21, 2008 – A Massachusetts fire fighter serving his third tour in Baghdad, Iraq, with the National Guard has received the ultimate pat on the back from U.S. Air Force General Burt Field, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Commander. Field presented Attleboro, MA Local 848 member and Air Force National Guardsman Paul Jacques with the General’s coin for training Iraqi fire fighters.

The coin was a show of respect and recognition for excellent job performance. “One of the goals of my unit is to make sure that Iraqi fire fighters can safely perform fire suppression and other emergency services once American troops leave,” says Jacques, former president of Local 848. “It is an honor that someone of General Field’s caliber recognized the hard work my unit has put into that mission.”

In reciprocation, Jacques presented the general with the 102nd Fighter Wing coin which represents the base he is stationed – OTIS Air National Guard Base (ANGB) in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

“The unique thing about this coin is that it will be a true collector’s item as of April 1 of this year,” states Jacques. “This is because the Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission has changed the mission of the base, and fire fighter jobs will be eliminated.”

The local 848 fire fighter is a station captain and training officer in his National Guard unit.

Jacques and members of his unit use a training approach similar to that used in the United States. However, due to time, resources, varying building structures and societal differences, training does have to be modified, and does not include live burns, search and rescue or vehicle extrication.

“Iraqi fire fighters are very motivated and eager to learn,” Jacques remarks. “They also seem to be applying what they have learned very well. That’s what makes what we do here so worthwhile.”