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Marines travel from Camp Lejeune to SCC for training

2016-10-21
Group of Marines stand in front of building
U.S. Marines stand outside Southwestern Community College’s Public Safety Training Center last month in Franklin after completing their Chainsaw Safety class. Pictured here are Sgt. Stephen E. Day, Cpl. Christopher McCullough, Cpl. Devin Brooks, Gunnery Sgt. Derek L. Partridge, Sgt. Kyle W. Holmes, Sgt. Alexander S. Tafoya, Cpl. Matthew J. Duhon, HM3 Austin C. Elder, Sgt. Patrick A. Hernandez, Cpl. Christopher Minnie, Cpl. Jack. D. Levangie, Sgt. Antonio Luna, Cpl. Torry E. Sands, Cpl. Christopher Christaldi, Sgt. Tyler S. Craven, Cpl. Nicholas C. Marshall, Cpl. Lance R. Lawrence, Lance Cpl. Benjamin J. Paulson, Staff Sgt. Ronald L. Soule II, Cpl. Thomas J. Wheeler, Cpl. Kyle A. Ellis and Cpl. Daniel R. Raffa.

When members of the U.S. Marines needed wildland fire chainsaw safety training, they chose Southwestern Community College’s Public Safety Training Center.

So a group of 22 traversed the state from Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville and underwent three days of intensive training in Macon County last month.

“They bypassed no telling how many community colleges to come here,” said Kameron Buchanan, Fire/Rescue Program Director/Coordinator/Instructor. “We’re honored they chose us.”

The Marines spent Wednesday through Friday, Sept. 28-30, in Franklin learning the finer points of how to safely use chainsaws while combating wildfires.

The training was led by Sean Parks, an instructor with the U.S. Forestry Service.

“We thought it was great,” said Gunnery Sgt. Derek Partridge. “The instructors were excellent, the training was great and the location was good. We got a lot out of it … and we’ll get a chance to put that training into action on Oct. 17 and 19 cutting down trees at Camp Lejeune.”

Sgt. Partridge said he’s hoping to bring a group to SCC every 6-to-9 months “in order to keep the skills up in our battalion.”

For Buchanan, who recently returned from a nine-month deployment to Qatar through the Air National Guard, helping train a group of active military personnel had special significance.

“You appreciate it a lot more from being on that side of things,” Buchanan said. “You know the time, effort, blood, sweat and tears they put in to get where they are. Whatever they do, they go above and beyond.”

For more information about the Public Safety Training Center, visit www.southwesterncc.edu/pstc or call 828.306.7041.
 

Man uses chainsaw to cut down tree
A U.S. Marine uses a chainsaw during training through SCC’s Public Safety Training Center last month in Franklin.

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