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National Firefighter Award highlights Grand Forks Airman's windfall year

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Derek VanHorn
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Ask Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Rueben about his recent award, and he'll likely have to ask you, "Which one?"

Rueben has earned the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Firefighter Award; the Air Mobility Command Fire Officer of the Year; the Air Force Sergeants Association Division 89 NCO of the Year; and the 319th Air Base Wing's NCO of the Year. All of the awards were for 2011.

"I feel very blessed," said Rueben, a master sergeant select and member of the 319th Civil Engineering Squadron. "I consider myself lucky to have been able to receive so much support from leadership; it has been amazing."

Rueben received the national recognition from the VFW for his outstanding service as a firefighter after first winning at the district and state levels. Rueben managed the 319th ABW Fire Inspection program -- to include national compliance of 240 buildings valued at more than $88 million -- and maintained zero fiscal fire loss and 100 percent compliance.

He was the first technical sergeant in the wing to be awarded the CCAF Professional Management Certification and distributed more than 450 fire safety packages throughout the community and conducted 63 in-home fire safety briefings, along with effectively treating an Airman with major head trauma which local doctors credited as "avoided permanent brain injury." He also discovered and corrected 97 safety deficiencies while inspecting more than 3 million square feet among 72 facilities, and was named as an "Outstanding Performer" of the base's Compliance Inspection in August 2011.

"Sergeant Rueben is a true enlisted leader," said Command Chief Master Sgt. David Carlson, 319th ABW. "History books are filled with examples of selfless servants that shape our great Air Force, and Sergeant Rueben is certainly one of those rare men with the drive and capacity to significantly influence our team for years to come."

"Sergeant Rueben puts a lot of time, effort and energy into everything he does," said Master Sgt. Norman Becker, Rueben's supervisor. "You hear about people like Sergeant Rueben, but it's not often you get the opportunity to meet somebody that has the ability to do what he does in such an efficient manner."

When Rueben was notified by John Hanson, national legislator officer for North Dakota's VFW, that he had won at the national level, he said he "couldn't believe it" before humbly accepting.

"I feel honored to be recognized by the VFW because I feel like I should be the one thanking them," Rueben said. "They're the ones that served before us so I am just doing my best to give back to them."

Rueben was selected as the 319th ABW NCO of the Year out of 543 NCOs on base, was one of 12 competitors for Fire Officer of the Year at the AMC level, and was awarded the top NCO by the AFSA Division 89 among 15 chapters across the Midwest.

As the AFSA Chapter 964 president at Grand Forks, Rueben said recognition was "representative of what we do as a group."

"He's very humble about everything he has earned," said Becker. "What people don't always see is when he goes through the shop and personally thanks every member because he says he knows he wouldn't be winning an award without the support of his firefighters."