Most of you know I am a Firefighter, I also teach high school fire cadets; our local high school has a program that allows kids to learn firefighting skills and over a two year program in their junior and senior year so that by the time they are graduating they can have all of the training and certifications required to become a volunteer or paid firefighter.
At the end of each school year we take the kids to a local Fire Training Academy for 72 hours for live fire training; kind of their "final" test as they have never had the chance to actually work a live fire before. It simulates a long shift with calls of a fire and medical nature...
It is a great time and everyone looks forward to it every year...
The reason I bring it up is that one of the cadets that attended the fire academy that was a rather stand out student and an amazing put together young man who I admired very much that graduated last year had joined the Army to become a Medic, and then went to Airborne school. He ended up in Afghanastan and was killed last weekend in what was another roadside bomb. His name is Andrew Shields and he was buried this morning with full military and Fire department honors. He was 19.
As his body was escorted from the airport in Portland to the funeral home to be viewed the procession had dozens of fire engines, military vehicles, family and friends. The fire department stationed fire engines and trucks at the overpasses of the freeways with firefighters on top of the rigs at attention as the hearse passed under. It was amazing.
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
The article from the paper:
QUOTE
Battle Ground honors soldier who was killed in Afghanistan
Posted by Holley Gilbert, The Oregonian June 02, 2008 13:08PM
VANCOUVER - Flags in Battle Ground are flying at half staff in honor of Andrew Jon Shields, a U.S. Army medic killed Saturday in Afghanistan.
Shields, 19, was the 120th member of the military with ties to Southwest Washington and Oregon to perish in conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kuwait. He is the 12th from Southwest Washington.
He was a 2007 graduate of Battle Ground High and a former member of the Clark County Fire & Rescue cadet program, where he was appointed a battalion chief shortly after joining the program his senior year.
"His leadership qualities were immediately identified and that's why he rapidly rose to be a leader in his class," said Mike Ciraulo, a division chief with Clark County Fire & Rescue and Battle Ground's mayor. "He was morally and ethically superior in his standards and beliefs. He was well respected by his classmates and the instructional staff."
Shields was the son of Clark County Sheriff's Deputy Jon Shields, a patrol deputy. The younger Shields served with the 173rd Special Troops Battalion, part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, according to the U.S. Army.
Details of Shields' death were not immediately available. But a statement from his family said Shields was serving in Jalalabad, in eastern Afghanistan, when he was killed in action. The family asked for privacy.
In the statement, the family said Shields joined the Army while still in high school. He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and the combat medic course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and then basic airborne training at Fort Benning, Ga.
While at Fort Benning, Shields met and became engaged to another medic, Loren Elizabeth Combs, who is currently serving with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.
While attending Battle Ground High, Shields played football. He enjoyed his family and friends, competitive shooting, hunting and fishing.
Ciraulo said Shields visited the firefighter cadet program a month or two ago, after completing his basic training and just prior to his deployment to Afghanistan. He shared his experience with the cadets and said he was soon heading to Afghanistan, Ciraulo said.
"He was a standout. He was trustworthy, and could always be counted on to do the right thing," Ciraulo said. "This is a hard one. He was a standout."
As mayor, Ciraulo said he ordered city flags to fly at half staff, likely until Shields' funeral.
Shields is survived by his mother, Wendy Campbell; father and stepmother, Jon and Carol Shields; sister, Ryleigh Campbell; and other extended family members.
Funeral arrangements are pending. In lieu of flowers, donations to go to charity can be made in Shields' name at any iQ Credit Union.
Posted by Holley Gilbert, The Oregonian June 02, 2008 13:08PM
VANCOUVER - Flags in Battle Ground are flying at half staff in honor of Andrew Jon Shields, a U.S. Army medic killed Saturday in Afghanistan.
Shields, 19, was the 120th member of the military with ties to Southwest Washington and Oregon to perish in conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kuwait. He is the 12th from Southwest Washington.
He was a 2007 graduate of Battle Ground High and a former member of the Clark County Fire & Rescue cadet program, where he was appointed a battalion chief shortly after joining the program his senior year.
"His leadership qualities were immediately identified and that's why he rapidly rose to be a leader in his class," said Mike Ciraulo, a division chief with Clark County Fire & Rescue and Battle Ground's mayor. "He was morally and ethically superior in his standards and beliefs. He was well respected by his classmates and the instructional staff."
Shields was the son of Clark County Sheriff's Deputy Jon Shields, a patrol deputy. The younger Shields served with the 173rd Special Troops Battalion, part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, according to the U.S. Army.
Details of Shields' death were not immediately available. But a statement from his family said Shields was serving in Jalalabad, in eastern Afghanistan, when he was killed in action. The family asked for privacy.
In the statement, the family said Shields joined the Army while still in high school. He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and the combat medic course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and then basic airborne training at Fort Benning, Ga.
While at Fort Benning, Shields met and became engaged to another medic, Loren Elizabeth Combs, who is currently serving with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.
While attending Battle Ground High, Shields played football. He enjoyed his family and friends, competitive shooting, hunting and fishing.
Ciraulo said Shields visited the firefighter cadet program a month or two ago, after completing his basic training and just prior to his deployment to Afghanistan. He shared his experience with the cadets and said he was soon heading to Afghanistan, Ciraulo said.
"He was a standout. He was trustworthy, and could always be counted on to do the right thing," Ciraulo said. "This is a hard one. He was a standout."
As mayor, Ciraulo said he ordered city flags to fly at half staff, likely until Shields' funeral.
Shields is survived by his mother, Wendy Campbell; father and stepmother, Jon and Carol Shields; sister, Ryleigh Campbell; and other extended family members.
Funeral arrangements are pending. In lieu of flowers, donations to go to charity can be made in Shields' name at any iQ Credit Union.
He was an amazing young man, and his friends and fellow cadets are absolutely gutted. It is so sad to see someone so young die.
...My Condolences. 
