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Shift change, a new day of brotherhood

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Angela Ruiz
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing
TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan --  Sally Port Fire Emergency Services contractors relinquished control of the fire department here to U.S. Airmen fire fighters May 1.

The Transit Center is the first fire department in the area of responsibility swap from civilian contractors to Airmen. According to Chief Master Sgt. Michael Rosser U.S. Air Forces Central fire chief, the drawdown of forces in Iraq allowed for this transition.

The Sally Port contractors arrived in May 2008 and took command of the fire station allowing the Airmen fire fighters that were here to be utilized elsewhere

For the past four years, the Transit Center at Manas fire department has been operated by Sally Port contractors, who have made the Transit Center their second home.

"I have been here since the very beginning [as a fire fighter], since the very first transition that we did from U.S. Air Force to contract fire fighters at this location," said George D. Parker III. "As the fire chief now, I'm transitioning [this department] back to U.S. Air Force fire protection."

During their tenure, the Sally Port fire protection contractors responded to more than 3,000 emergency response calls -- including ground, medical, hazardous material and in-flight emergencies, even suspicious noises or odors.

They have integrated into the Kyrgyz Republic community by fighting fires alongside the Kyrgyz Republic Manas International Airport fire department. Some of them have even built families with their Kyrgyz wives.

"There hasn't been anything that we haven't been able to handle," Parker said. "We've handled every operation, every emergency here with zero issues."

During a shift change ceremony, Sally Port turned over the reins to 41 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Airmen.

The contractors and Airmen conducted a vast amount of familiarization training within the Transit Center, flight line and the fire department over the course of the past three weeks.
The 41 Airmen came from seven bases bringing a diversity of knowledge and personal experiences to the Transit Center fire department.

"They have stepped up and each base has a role to running a department," said Chief Master Sgt. Stephen Groszek. "Every base around the Air Force has certain ways to do things, and the last three weeks we've taken all these Airmen and blended into a fire department -- a brotherhood."

At the shift change ceremony the Air Force fire protection team honored the Sally Port fire protection team. The Airmen relayed the meaning of the Maltese Cross, an eight point symbol that represents the building blocks of fire service and the Air Force fire protection badge.

A fire ax was passed from Parker to Groszok. Then everyone heard "Ding, Ding, Ding," as a bell rang by Parker symbolized the end of the Sally Port shift and welcomed the Air Force fire protection team into their new home.

"It's a little saddening that our four years are up. We're here to support our armed services and coalition partners. With that being said, I'm going home to my family and my guys are going home to their families," Parker said. "I'm very confident in the new Air Force fire protection flight."

Once the shift change ceremony was complete and the Airmen and contractors were dismissed, they preformed an about face then embraced one another with firm handshakes.

"We complete roll call every morning not just to pass on information, but to share stories and experiences from our prior shifts," Groszek said. "We say hello to our brothers and sisters that are coming on shift. More importantly we say good bye to those coming off shift and we thank them for a job well done."