AFRC command chief coins civil engineers

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Phyllis Keith
  • 624th Regional Support Group Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  The command chief of the Air Force Reserve coined two firefighters assigned to the 624th Civil Engineering Squadron during the 624th Regional Support Group's unit training assembly, December 6, 2014.

Chief Master Sgt. Cameron Kirksey called Tech. Sgt. Kaohilii Romualdo and Airman 1st Class Davyn Thornburg front and center at an informal assembly at the fire department to present them with his command chief challenge coin, recognizing their outstanding performance of duty.

As tradition dictates, Chief Kirksey gave each of them a coin during a handshake, passing from the right hand of the chief to the right hand of the awardee.

Kirksey said he was impressed with Romualdo's sacrifice and commitment to service. Romualdo was a technical sergeant when he separated from active duty and was willing to take off a stripe in order to join the 624th CES. He was promoted back to technical sergeant last month.

Kirksey spent time in an impromptu mentoring session with Thornburg who joined the unit out of high school. Kirksey asked him what made him want to put on the uniform and what motivated him to become an Air Force Reserve firefighter. Thornburg said he wanted to follow in the footsteps of a relative, and that the Air Force training is top-notch, conducted in a joint environment with Soldiers, Sailors and Marines. After completing firefighter school at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Thornburg trained on active duty with the fire department at Hickam Field as part of the Air Force Reserve's Seasonal Training Program in order to help him learn his job at a faster rate.

Master Sgt. Cris Ildefonso, superintendent of the 624th CES, said that Chief Kirksey also presented coins to a water and fuels systems maintenance craftsman and a pavement and construction equipment technician--Master Sgt. Frank Soriano and SrA Bryan Ortiz-Geraldo.