FES names inspector employee of the quarter

Fire service inspector Stephon Dailing was chosen as the second quarter employee of the quarter for the Fort Riley Fire and Emergency Services.

Dailing was nominated in February for employee of the month by Shawn Sullivan, lead fire inspector and public education officer, Fort Riley Fire and Emergency Services.

‘Raiders’ prepare for patrol detail with situational-training exercise

Soldiers with the 977th MP Co., 97th MP Bn., conduct a traffic stop June 16 during the unit’s Law and Order Situational Training Exercise at Fort Riley.

Spc. Michael Fritz and Spc. Julian Hayden, 977th Military Police Company, 97th Military Police Battalion, responded to a call June 16. The call was to protect the crime scene, where a woman was presumed dead with slit wrists.

When they arrived on the scene, the MPs found the woman sitting in a chair with a pool of blood around her on the floor and money scattered about. The officers were approached by a second woman whose hands were covered in blood.

1st civilian DPW director retires with more than 30 years of service

Retired DPW director Larry McGee, left, talks with Tony Cady, program manager-forward, Kansas City District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, right, during McGee’s retirement reception June 15 at Riley’s Conference Center. McGee’s wife, Beverly, center, looks on.

“I have been very fortunate to make several career moves, being in the right place at the right time and to be able to culminate my career here at Fort Riley,” said Larry McGee.

McGee left his position as the first civilian director of the Directorate of Public Works June 17. His retirement will be effective in September. He became the first civilian director July 11, 2004.

Fort Riley bans all consumer fireworks

With Memorial Day weekend in the past, summer is now underway with the Fourth of July holiday just around the corner.

While celebrating the nation’s independence, Fort Riley Fire and Emergency Services reminds Soldiers, Families, civilians and retirees to practice good firework safety to prevent becoming one of the more than 8,000 people treated in emergency rooms with firework-related injuries in 2009, with 67 percent of those injuries occurring between June 19 and July 19, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Wood takes over as 10th ASOS commander

Col. David Wright, commander, 3rd Air Support Operations Group, left, passes the 10th ASOS guidon to incoming commander Maj. Jason Wood, second from right, as outgoing commander Lt. Col. Roy Fatur, right, looks on during the change of command ceremony June 15 in front of the 1st Inf. Div. headquarters.

After two years with the 10th Air Support Operations Squadron, U.S. Air Force, commander Lt. Col. Roy “Frenchy” Fatur relinquished his position to Maj. Jason Wood during a June 15 ceremony in front of the 1st Infantry Division headquarters.

Wood returned a few short days prior to the ceremony from a six-month deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where he was the director of operations for the 504th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group. He previously was assigned to the 10th ASOS in June 2010 as the director of operations.

JCHS students travel to DC for national forensics competition

JUNCTION CITY – Five Junction City High School students qualified for the National Forensics competition May 26 to May 30 in Washington.

Among those students qualifying were 2010-2011 school year sophomore Sean Smith, who competed in debate with the Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and junior Kristen Graham, who competed with an oral interpretation of literature comprised of “Santa’s Twin” and “Mean Tents.”

Parents, children learn about animals at Hearts Apart trip to Sunset Zoo

Quinn Perry, 2, feels the fur of a snow leopard June 11 at Sunset Zoo, Manhattan. Hearts Apart members attended the zoo’s Ambassador Zoo Program, which teaches children and parents about animals from all over the world.

Families with a deployed loved one joined together for a Hearts Apart trip June 11 to Sunset Zoo in Manhattan.

Military spouse Brandy Balassi took two of her four children to the event “to meet other Families that are in the same situation and take an opportunity for the kids to know that we’re not the only one.”

Rachel Johnson, wife of Sgt. 1st Class Charles Johnson, Field Support Command, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Support Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, also brought her children to the event “to be around other people who are going through the same thing.”

Families enjoy carnival rides, games

Branden Stokes, 3, rides on a children’s boat ride June 9 during the Victory Carnival at Rally Point Field. The three-day event had more than 6,000 attendees.

Three-year-old Branden Stokes was all smiles while he rode on the boat ride June 9 during the Victory Carnival, which was June 9 to 11 at Rally Point Field.

His mom, Spc. Taquela Dockins, 172nd Chemical Company, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Sustainment Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, said she brought him to the carnival to spend time with him.

Bike patrol helps FRPD build rapport

Cpl. Eric Grear, left, and Pfc. Christopher Howard, right, both with the 287th MP Co., 97th MP Bn., talk with a parent while conducting bike patrol duties June 9 during the Victory Carnival at Rally Point Field.

Soldiers assigned to the 97th Military Police Battalion began patrolling on bikes in May at Fort Riley.

The bike patrol duties are rotated between each military police company to include the 116th MP Company, 287th MP Co., 300th MP Co. and 977th MP Co.

“The Fort Riley Police Department has a bike patrol team that assists the Fort Riley Police Department, Civil Liaison Section throughout the year, however, they actively patrol on bicycles during the warmer months,” said Officer John-Charles “J.C.” Silva, FRPD.

Throughout the warmer months, six Soldiers are assigned to the bike patrol team. Four Soldiers are assigned to the team during the winter months.

Fort Riley, Manhattan partner for lifesaving training

Fort Riley firefighters assist a member of the Manhattan Fire Department with air pack conversion June 9 during the practicals portion of Rapid Intervention Training in Manhattan. MFD provided the three-day training to seven members of the Fort Riley Fire and Emergency Services and three MFD firefighters.

Seven Fort Riley firefighters traveled to Manhattan June 7 to 9, where they learned lifesaving techniques to rescue themselves and each other in the event of an accident.

The concept of the Rapid Intervention Team is for a four-man team to rescue one of their own, said Sam Dameron, chief training officer, Manhattan Fire Department.

“In the training, they learn basic firefighter survival skills, firefighter rescue skills and how to operate as (an) RIT, where it’s four men operating together,” he said.