JROTC accepts challenge to venture aboard MCBQ

Marine Corps Base Quantico -- Hermitage High School students enrolled in the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program in Richmond, Virginia recently experienced an exclusive tour of the Marine Corps Air Field’s Air Rescue Fire Fighter (ARFF) department aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico. They walked upon the same ground designated for air squadrons returning from World War I in 1919. The facility has since served as an ongoing infrastructure for Marine Corps’ air support operations.

The JROTC program focuses on teaching teens about selfless service and influencing them to be better Americans by giving back to their country.

“It is important for students to see different sides of the military,” said retired Master Gunnery Sgt. Karl Bartley, JROTC instructor. “There are so many things out there that negatively influence the youth. It’s good to expose them to positive things that Marines do, and most importantly give them a different perspective of the military outside of warfighting and carrying a rifle.”

Their ARFF tour included the sleeping quarters, dispatcher’s tower, fire trucks and fire equipment.

“These are some of the best pilots in the Marine Corps and so crash incidents are highly uncommon,” said the active duty dispatcher. “We also use the best equipment, because failure isn’t an option.”

Many of the fire trucks have been in circulation since the 80s. According to Master Sgt. Greg Harland, ARFF senior noncommissioned officer, older vehicles will soon be interchanged with new P-19R Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting vehicles within the year.

The ARFF team demonstrated the swift ease in which they dress in insulated gear in preparation for a firefight on the air field. The team practices weekly to maintain speed and efficiency, often challenging themselves to dress in 50 pounds of gear in less than 50 seconds. Multiple high school students welcomed this challenge and tried on the gear for themselves.

Amonte Fields, a 15-year-old freshman, completed this task in approximately four minutes. The student is already thinking of the military as an option for future employment and even retirement.

“I would want to come back here and see the new equipment and maybe even drive the fire truck,” he said. “When I graduate I definitely want to join the military. The Navy interests me mostly because I like the ocean.”

Options are always good for the youth, because college may not be the best solution for each high school graduate, said Bartley, who served as an active duty Marine for 24 years. While touring the facility, he shared his personal experience of serving as a military police officer from 1993-1997 at Helicopter Squadron.

The tour also included other hidden gems aboard the base such as the Helicopter Squadron One facility, Officer Candidates School training area, Virtual Combat Convoy and Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainers at Camp Upshur in addition to lunch in Bruce Hall at The Basic School.

For more information about tours aboard MCBQ contact John DeBerry at 703-784-5568.

— Writer: iirby@quanticosentryonline.com