SAVANNAH, Ga. – A Soldier from the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade was awarded the Volunteer Firefighter of the Year Award at the Savannah Exchange Club Oct. 26.
Sgt. 1st Class Casey Haugen, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment is a maintenance platoon sergeant and he shares a special bond with the firemen he volunteers with. He is a living breathing example of someone who truly lives the Army core value of selfless service.
“There is a certain kind of bond you get when you work in this business. It’s a bond of knowing that you got their back and someone’s got your back,” Haugen said. “I’d do anything for them really.”
Haugen is a native of Douglas, Wyoming, and enlisted in the Army Reserves as a cargo specialist in 2000. In January of 2002, he enlisted to active duty while simultaneously reclassifying to a CH-47 Chinook Helicopter Repairer. He volunteers because of many reasons. He would tell you it keeps him out of trouble.
“It’s a sense of accomplishment, a sense of community involvement and just helping out,” Haugen said. “You’re there to make people feel better and you hope they would do the same.”
Haugens supervisor, 1st Lt. Craig Svec, maintenance platoon leader, 2nd Bn. 3rd Avn. Reg. was present for the award ceremony and proud of his Soldier.
“He’s found something that he’s really passionate about which is very hard for people to do especially nowadays,” Svec said. “He absolutely loves volunteering for the fire department.”
Svec said that Haugen puts everyone but himself first.
Also present to watch one of his senior noncommissioned officers be awarded was 1st Sgt. Leon Black, Co. D, 2nd Bn. 3rd Avn. Reg. He was beaming with pride as he spoke about his NCO.
“Being Soldiers we get recognized at the national level for the defense of our nation but it’s always good to recognize Soldiers for the contributions they give to the local community,” Black said.
Date Taken: | 10.26.2015 |
Date Posted: | 10.29.2015 10:47 |
Story ID: | 180323 |
Location: | SAVANNAH, GA, US |
Hometown: | DOUGLAS, WY, US |
Web Views: | 189 |
Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 3rd CAB Soldier receives Volunteer Firefighter of the Year award, by SGT William Begley, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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