Through Airmen's Eyes: A firefighting legacy

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Zachary Cacicia
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  An Airman who has been fighting fires since the age of 14, follows in his father's footsteps to become an Air Force firefighter.

Airman 1st Class Logan Brouse, 436th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, has excelled in almost all things Air Force and firefighting in his short, but noteworthy career. This is why he is being recognized by his leadership as Team Dover's Airman of the Month.

"This is a pretty great honor," said Brouse. "There are quite a few Airmen on the base; getting selected is a privilege."

Brouse, a native of Selinsgrove, Pa., is not the first member of his family to be an Air Force firefighter. His father, Gary Brouse, is a retired Department of Defense fire chief with 32 years of service, who started his firefighting career as an Airman.

Gary Brouse spoke about his son's choice to becoming an Air Force firefighter.

"There is obviously a sense of pride that he chose firefighting as his current career," said Gary Brouse. "But an even greater sense of pride in the fact that he chose to do it while serving his country with the U.S. Air Force."

Before coming to Dover, while in technical school at the DoD Fire Academy at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Brouse accomplished something unheard of by his instructors, said Rodney Coleman, 436th CES deputy fire chief.

He's the only academy student who scored a 100 percent on all seven blocks of their training.

"He aced every exam and evaluation the first time," said Coleman. "They've never seen anybody do that."

Brouse first enlisted in the Air Force in July 2012. Since then, he has won countless awards. These include: the 2013 436th CES Military Firefighter of the Year, the 436th CES Airman of the Quarter for the 4th quarter of 2013, and the 436th Mission Support Group Volunteer of the Quarter for the 3rd quarter of 2013.

Brouse's supervisor Staff Sgt. Matthew Varchetto, 436th CES fire protection crew chief, spoke on his selection.

"Brouse was chosen because of the impeccable performance of his job," Varchetto said. "He has extreme attention to detail and he has a continued drive to make a positive impact on our mission. He has had a positive impact on our Air Force community, the surrounding community and the citizens of the Delmarva Peninsula."

Prior to joining the Air Force, as a teenager, Brouse volunteered at the Shamokin Dam Volunteer Fire Company and the Union Township Fire Company. Both are located near his hometown of Selinsgrove, Pa. While volunteering, he received numerous firefighting and emergency technician certifications.

On his downtime, Brouse enjoys skiing and hunting. He is also an active volunteer in the local Dover area and near his hometown in Pennsylvania. For the past several years, he has been active with the Susquehanna Valley Law Enforcement Camp Cadet Program, run by the Pennsylvania State Police, where he councils children.

Brouse hopes to continue a successful fire career and to one day obtain a Master's Degree in Emergency Management or Safety.

Lt. Col. Scott Bryant, 436th CES commander, spoke on what he expects from Brouse in the future.

"Ten years from now, I would not be surprised to see A1C Brouse leading a team of next generation firefighters in the Air Force," Bryant said. "With his team being willing to do whatever it takes to get the mission done in a flawless manner, because that's the example he taught them."