Page 8 - Aerotech News and Review, October 16, 2020

Cadet takes break from fire fighting for commissioning

by Michael Maddox the little Tujunga hotshots in Sylmar,
Los Angeles, Calif. California, which turned to two days,”
he said. “What got me hooked to the
While virtual ceremonies have be- wildland fireman lifestyle was hiking,
come commonplace since the outbreak cutting line, and the camaraderie.”
of COVID-19, Cadet Andrew Salinas, Salinas said the feelings of com-
now 2nd Lt. Andrew Salinas, had to munity, belonging and camaraderie he
plan his Sept. 18, 2020, virtual com- feels as part of the firefighting team is
missioning around California’s raging something he has also enjoyed as a His-
wildfires. Salinas, a student and cadet panic American.
at California State University in Los “I grew up in a Mexican American
Angeles, is also a wildland firefighter household as both parents were born
with the United States Forest Service. in the United States and each had a
Salinas wasn’t sure he’d have time parent born in Mexico. They tried to
for a commissioning ceremony while continue the culture by trying to teach
responding to the Lake and Bobcat me Spanish, cooking Mexican food,
Fire, but firefighter Louis Esparza of and exposing me to an array of Mexi-
the Angeles National Forest convinced can composers from Augustin Lara to
him otherwise. Vicente Fernandez,” he shared. “They
Salinas’ ceremony was prerecorded were part founding members of Veci-
on site in East Palmdale, Calif., where nos (pronounced Be See Nos meaning
he has been fighting local wildfire, with Neighbors) de South Pasadena. This
his parents and Sgt. 1st Class (retired) organization was created to bring to-
Mark Romano able to be on-hand to gether Latinos and non-Latinos alike Courtesy photograph
take part. to form a stronger community in South
“I was able to get my first salute and Pasadena and share the richness of the Second Lt. Andrew Salinas, had to plan his Sept. 18 virtual commissioning around California’s raging wildfires. Salinas,
my parents were able to pin me. It was Latino culture. a student and a cadet at California State University in Los Angeles, is also a wildland firefighter with the U.S. Forest
Service.
all last-minute planning and it worked “I was exposed to Latino arts, writ-
out perfectly,” Salinas said. ers, scholars, music, and worked/vol-
The South Pasadena, Calif., native unteered in their biggest fundraiser of ferent challenges I did not even know science’s office and told him there are ing has benefitted him as a firefighter
said being a fireman is a recent deci- the year, Día de Los Muertos. Through I could overcome,” he said. “I joined students at CSULA that want to join as well.
sion, but definitely not one he regrets. this organization, we were able to pro- as a third-year in college after trans- ROTC but cannot afford the commute. “Transferring from the UCLA ROTC
“I did not have an interest and knew vide scholarships to college bound high ferring from Glendale Community Lt. Col. (Steve) Kwon was able to let program to a Type Two AD Hand Crew
very little about wildland firefighting school seniors from South Pasadena College where I spent five years at to me start Charlie Company (unofficial- was an adjustment, but it did not take
get my Associates in Arts and enough ly) which consisted of CSULA students long to get acclimated. I took the Army
credits to transfer. I was already older that met in the morning at 5:50 a.m. to values and was able to transfer it to the
than most of the cadets but at the end of exercise. firefighter world. Like ROTC, it all de-
the day, age is just a number.” “Managing Charlie Company taught pends on what you make of it,” he said.
Salinas credits his program leader- me to communicate with my battle
ship with ensuring his success by think- buddies and to make sure they had
ing outside of the box to accommodate everything they needed to be success-
his and others challenges. ful. ROTC is a community of people
“It was financially expensive to the that have different ambitions, goals,
point where I would have $1.20 in my motivation, and personalities. There is
checking account, but it taught me to no right answer or road map, all I can
do more with less,” Salinas said. “It control is how I feel throughout the day
wasn’t until my senior year where I and treat others,” Salinas shared.
walked into the professor of military Salinas said his Army ROTC train-

Courtesy photograph Courtesy photograph
Newly commissioned 2nd Lt. Anthony Salinas and the rest of Crew 63 take a Second Lt. Andrew Salinas and fellow
break from firefighting for a group photo. firefighter, Anthony Lopez, at burn
operation on Bobcat Fire in California.

until one of my fellow cadets intro- High School and helped sponsor Latino
duced me to his brother who was a community events in South Pasadena.”
Wildland Firefighter on a Type 2 Hand he added. Sallinas has also travelled to
Crew with the United States Forest Costa Rica and Peru volunteering and
Service. He asked me if I was a good assisting doctors though the Glendale
hiker and runner. I replied ‘yes’ and Community College Global Medical
he told me to go to the orientation for Training club.
his crew in Boyle Heights, Los Ange- Salinas said he joined ROTC be-
les,” Salinas said. “They took all the cause he wanted to serve in the military
new guys on hikes, carrying at least since he was a child.
50-pounds of gear up Brand Park trail “I was planning on enlisting after I
in Glendale on Sundays at 8 a.m. and graduated from Cal State Los Angeles,
had PT Monday through Friday from but my mentor said that I should take
7 to 9 p.m., testing our commitment to a look at ROTC. After talking to the
the program. Cadre and finding out what officer life
“After the two-week probation pe- was like in the Army, I was determined
riod, it started with about 100 people, to get my rank,” he explained.
declining to 25. After I made it onto He went on to credit his ROTC ex-
the crew, COVID-19 hit. Everything perience for teaching him determina- Courtesy photograph
slowed down. We were supposed to tion and time management.
get a two-week training course with “This program exposed me to dif- Members of C Company stop for break while hiking in Griffith Park in Los Angeles.
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