Whiteman hosts Fire Officer III training

  • Published
  • By Heidi Hunt
  • 509h Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  The Whiteman Fire Department hosted the Fire Officer III Training here, Jan. 23 - Feb. 5, 2010.

"The Fire Officer III course prepares students for advancement into senior management positions in the future," Sammy Sprouse, 312th Training Squadron advance course instructor said. "Students have all met the prerequisites for this course and have valuable experience from the field. This level is another step in their career progression."

Mr. Sprouse is one of two instructors from the DoD Fire Academy, Goodfellow AFB, Texas, who traveled here to teach the course to 18 students from 10 different bases. He was accompanied by instructor David Weber.

The class marks the first time the instructors traveled here to teach the course in an effort to make training available to the firefighters.

"The advantage Goodfellow brings to Whiteman is vital to DoD installations because the availability of slots back home is limited," he said. "The purpose behind this mission is to obtain various DoD firefighters from multiple bases in the region to train at one location."

During the course, an array of academic topics must be covered, completed and passed in addition to passing a challenging certification test before students receive their certificate, at the conclusion of the 10-day course, according to Mr. Sprouse.

Upon successful completion of the course and test, today, students will earn four college-credit hours towards their Community College of the Air Force degree.

Students in attendance for the course were:

Master Sgt. Dexter Davis, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
Master Sgt. Gary Taylor, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.
Tech. Sgt. Maurice Bates, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.
Tech. Sgt. Aaron Duggins, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
Tech. Sgt. Aaron Fernaays, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
Tech. Sgt. Tiefton Garcia, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
Tech. Sgt. Alan Justice, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.
Tech. Sgt.Nathaniel Pyle, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.
Tech. Sgt. Paul Tichelkamp, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
Staff Sgt. Jason Alberti, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
Staff Sgt. Christopher Gunn, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
Staff Sgt. Stephen Mabson, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
Staff Sgt. Michael Moore, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
Chris Finkes, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
Chad Larson, Niagra Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y.
Darren Millard, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
Dennis Reinhardt, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
Ricky Sponseller, Whiteman AFB, Mo.