Grissom firefighter recognized as NCO of the Year Published Feb. 18, 2014 By Tech. Sgt. Douglas Hays 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- It's been said that noncommissioned officers are the backbone of the U.S. military as they are the first-line supervisors and hands-on experts leading Airmen in excellence. One such leader, Tech. Sgt. Christopher Bauchle, 434th Civil Engineer Squadron fire protection craftsman, was recently selected as the 434th Air Refueling Wing NCO of the Year for 2013. "He embodies what it is to be a fireman and NCO," said Chief Master Sgt. Steve Groszek, 434th CES fire chief. "He leads by example, is willing to go the extra mile, and he is always taking care of others - always putting the firefighting family ahead of himself." As a testament to his willingness to go above and beyond, Bauchle stepped up and served as an assistant chief of operations for the Grissom Fire Department, where he dedicated more than 140 off-duty hours to fulfill administrative requirements. "We had two great master sergeants retire, and with those retirements went with them over 50 years of experience, so that opened up a big void when it comes to knowledge and real-world experience," explained Bauchle. "I've always thought that you should be able to step into the job above you, to know what to do. "And, I had that opportunity to go into a position above my pay grade, and I was able to learn a lot from that challenge," he added. And, taking on a challenge in pursuit of excellence is something Bauchle has demonstrated he isn't afraid to do. On top of completing several credit hours last year toward a Master of Science degree in homeland security, the Indianapolis-native graduated from both Indiana's and Georgia's smoke diver courses. "You talk about a hard class, it's like Navy SEAL training for firefighters," explained Groszek, who is also a graduate of the arduous course. "They put you in situations where you run out of air, where you have to conserve your air and where you're physically out of your limits, so when you get in a situation like that you can go back to your training and survive." "It's all about training the mind and the body to adapt in pretty extreme environments," added Bauchle, stating that less than half of the course's participants graduate. "They'll wear you down physically and then put you in situations where you have to make critical decisions while experiencing things like tunnel vision and auditory exclusion. "It's all so that these horrible situations become charted territory for you so that if, God forbid, you get in a situation like that you have the knowledge and abilities to get you and your team out safe," he continued. "It's about making good firefighters into better firefighters." Not letting that training go to waste, the NCO of the Year took his knowledge and applied it to training here at Grissom. "I've been able to bring a lot of that in to the contingency training here and apply it to both the firefighting training and even deployment preparation training," explained Bauchle. And while completing two versions of the extreme course wasn't enough, Bauchle sought out even more training as he completed a hazardous material incident commander course in just two weeks and was certified as an Indiana state vehicle and heavy machinery rescue technician. He was also the first 434th CES firefighter to be licensed on a P-34 rapid intervention vehicle, using his knowledge and experience to train the rest of his 28-member flight. "He's so forward thinking, and his approach is so analytical - he really is a genius," said Groszek. "And, having someone like that on your team is such a tremendous benefit." Not only has the GFD benefited from his training, but so has the entire base and those in his community. As a crew chief of a first-in firefighting truck, Bauchle responded to a KC-135R Stratotanker experiencing hydraulic failure. In that incident, he was able to establish command and isolate the scene, maintain accountability as five aircrew members were evacuated and additional damage to a $39.6 million aircraft was averted, said Maj. Paul Brenner, 434th CES commander. Bauchle also demonstrated quick thinking that lead to a life being saved as he responded to a male in cardiac arrest and was able to use an automatic external defibrillator to revive the patient. And, if saving money by averting damage to an aircraft wasn't enough, Bauchle worked in conjunction with a local Peru, Ind., fire department to coordinate live-fire training, which saved more than $20,000 in temporary duty costs. While his performance in his job and commitment to self-improvement were a major factor in his award, Bauchle was also evaluated on his service to the community. In 2013, the NCO of the Year not only organized a 13-person team to complete a race in full fire gear to earn money for an Indianapolis-based homeless shelter, he also completed a 12-mile obstacle course to support wounded warriors and aided five fellow firefighters earn credits toward their Community College of the Air Force degrees. "He really is the heart and soul of this department and is always helping others," said Groszek. While Bauchle said he's proud of the recognition, he said he sees this award as one for the entire GFD. "Anyone who wins an annual award like this doesn't do it without support from their unit, from the other NCOs," he explained. "There's no way to do any of this without the help of others and surrounding yourself with great people. "That's the way we look at it in the fire department -- it's a victory for the whole department because of everything everyone contributed," he added. When asked about what advice he may have for fellow NCOs or young Airmen, Bauchle said the biggest thing they can do is apply themselves with excellence toward knowing their job. "With all the requirements that we have to meet throughout the year, it's easy to lose sight of the big picture, but you need to be constantly applying yourself to your career, staying proficient in your job or preparing yourself to step up in to that next job," he explained. "Never underestimate the importance of applying yourself and not losing sight of the big picture of how you support the mission and impact that has on the overall Air Force. "When you get a bunch of airman and NCOs all pushing for that same goal, you're able to do amazing things," Bauchle concluded. With the challenges and achievements of 2013 behind him, Bauchle will now join three other 434th ARW annual award winners to compete at the 4th Air Force level. The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Airmen and aircraft from the 434th ARW routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission and U.S. strategic objectives. Stay connected with the 434th ARW on Facebook and Twitter. (Editor's note: Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner, 434th ARW Public Affairs, contributed to this article)
