Jb journal 061314

Joint Base Journal

www.facebook.com/jointbase JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING www.cnic.navy.mil/jbab

News and information for and about the premierJoint Base and its region

Vol. 5, No. 23 June 13, 2014

BY JOSEPH P. CIRONEJOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-

BOLLING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

QUANTICO, Va. – Hun-dreds of firefighters frommultiple states were joinedby military members, policeand the public honoring afallen, lifesaving firefighter,Navy veteran and avid mo-torcyclist during a memorialservice on June 5 and 6.

Navy, Air Force and Armyservice members, joinedfirefighters from the Districtof Columbia (D.C.), Mary-land, Virginia and SouthCarolina in honoring FireDepartment BattalionChiefJohn (“Johnny Mac”) Mc-Donald.

Naval District Washing-ton (NDW) Commandant,Rear Adm. Markham K.Rich, Naval Support ActivityWashington CommandingOfficer, Capt. Monte L. Ul-mer, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) IndividualMobilization Augmentee,Air Force Col. MoniqueMin-nick, Senior Chaplain (andNavy Cmdr.) Wesley Sloatand JBAB Operations Of-ficer, Navy Lt. Cmdr. MikeRickett, were among themilitary members present.

Members of the publiclined streets, some salut-ing or holding their handover their heart, as the long

funeral procession, consist-ing of many dozens of firetrucks, made its way fromthe church service in Staf-ford, Virginia to QuanticoNational Cemetery, wheremilitary honors andMcDon-ald’s internment concludedthe two-day memorial ser-vice.

A large motorcycle es-cort, consisting of Depart-ment of Defense police, aswell as police from StaffordCounty and Prince WilliamCounty, Virginia, and mem-bers of the Fire and IronMo-torcycle Club led the proces-sion.

McDonald served as vicepresident of the NorthernVirginia chapter of the mo-torcycle club, which consistsof firefighters, emergencymedical technicians andparamedics who are alsomotorcyclists. His motor-cycle, club vest and helmetwere on display at his view-ing.

McDonald, 54, passedaway while on duty at theJBAB-based NDW Fire andEmergency Services CentralBattalion in the early morn-ing on May 30.

Before becoming a paidfirefighter with NDW in July

Hundreds turn out to honor hero fallen firefighter, Navy veteran, avid motorcyclist

In memoriam to Fire Department Battalion Chief John McDonald - “Dedicated 2 Excellence”

See FUNERAL, Page 3

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY LT. CMDR. JIM REMINGTON

Navy Capt. Monte L. Ulmer, commanding officer of Naval Support Activity Washington, presents the American Flag to thedaughter of Naval District Washington Fire and Emergency Services Battalion Chief John (“Johnny Mac”) McDonald at a me-morial service held at the Quantico National Cemetery on June 6.

BY ROBERT

W. MITCHELL

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-

BOLLING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The Air Force welcomedits newest members to itsHonor Guard in a gradua-tion ceremony held at JointBase Anacostia-Bolling(JBAB).

Thirteen Airmen receivedtheir certificates and coinsfrom Air Force Lt. Col. Tim-othy Thurston and Air ForceChief Master Sgt. MeshelleDyer.

Speaking before a crowdof military families andfriends, Thurston, who isthe honor guard command-er, said the Airmen of Class2014-C endured a long and

hard journey on their way tograduation day.

He said most of the stu-dents came to the eight-week honor guard technicaltraining program immedi-ately after completing eightand a half weeks of basictraining. He applaudedtheir endurance and com-mitment and welcomedthem to “the brotherhood ofthe United States Air ForceHonor Guard.”

Airman 1st Class ShawnSkeete-Foster, a Spanaway,Wash.-native, was excited tohave made it to graduation.

“I feel great about grad-uating. I went through two[honor guard technicaltraining] classes because, Iguess I wasn’t perfect,” he

said. “This is really a boostto my morale and my confi-dence.”

Skeete-Foster, who hadbeen selected for the honorguard right after basic train-ing, said the discipline anddemands of the course iscomparatively tougher thanwhat he had experienced inbasic.

“I wish basic was morelike this. This [training] in-volves more physical fitness,more attention-to-detail,more of a sense of urgencyin everything you do,” hesaid.

Airman 1st Class Oleg Ly-senko, a native of Bartlett, Ill.,

Airmen ushered into “brotherhood of the Air Force Honor Guard”

See HONOR, Page 2

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY ROBERT W. MITCHELL

Air Force Honor Guard graduates at the June 4 commencement ceremony at the Honor GuardCeremonial Hall at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

2 Friday, June 13, 2014 Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Joint Base Journal

had a similar view of the traininghe received over the past severalweeks.

“It was harder than basic, Ithink. It had more discipline andeverything had to be near perfect.There was no room for error andeverything was held to a higherstandard,” he said.

Lysenko said the physical fit-ness seemed to be a never-endingtraining event.

“It was constant physical train-ing. It felt like basic was easierthan this,” he said.

Fourteen days into the course,the students ran an eight-milecourse that involved runningpast several historic landmarksin Washington, D.C., according toSkeete-Foster.

“We have a monument run inthe second week. We run fromthe Pentagon parking lot acrossthe Arlington Memorial Bridge tothe Lincoln Memorial and then tothe Washington Monument. Afterwe reach the monument, we turnaround and run back to the Pen-tagon parking lot along the sameroute,” he said.

At the graduation ceremony,four Airmen of Class 2014-C wererecognized for their exemplaryperformance.

Airman 1st Class Damon Nin, anative of Clearwater, Fla., and Ly-senko both received the Top Gunaward for the highest drill evalu-ation scores. Airman NicholasBallesteros, a native of Kalispell,Mont. received the Honor Gradu-ate Award for being the overallbest honor guardsmen, and Air-man 1st Class Korban Bradshaw,a native of New Milford, Conn.received the Physical Fitness Ex-cellence award for consistentlyattaining high scores in all of hisphysical fitness evaluations.

“I was really excited aboutwinning the best drill award,” Ninsaid.

The drill evaluations, accord-ing to Nin, were based on the pre-cision and crispness of the move-ments through a combination ofstationary and basic drill move-ments using the M-14 rifle.

According to Thurston, themission of the honor guard is torepresent Airmen to the Americanpublic and to the world. The train-ing conducted during the courseensures a legacy of Airmen willcontinue to promote the mission,protect the standards, perfect theimage and promote the heritageof the honor guard, he said.

The ceremony was held on the70th anniversary of OperationOverlord also known as D-Day,the largest amphibious militaryoperation in history, Thurston

pointed out. He said June 6, 1944is an important day in historyrecognized to remember the costof freedom and to remember thesacrifices that are necessary topreserve the American way of life.

The ceremony’s guest speak-er, Air Force Brig. Gen. James E.McClain, commander of the AirForce Medical Support Agencyapplauded the graduates andencouraged the Airmen to find

meaningful purpose in all theydo. He said purpose will providethe Airmen with the push theyneed to press on when faced withthe challenges of life.

HONORn continued from 1

BY ROBERT W. MITCHELLJOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

With sights set on taking hermilitary career up to the highestlevels of the federal government,Public Works Officer Air Force Lt.Col. Kristen Bakotic expressed ap-preciation and gratitude for theprofessional and dedicated peopleteam she worked with during hertenure at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB).

Bakotic, who has been recent-ly selected to work at the WhiteHouse, shared her thoughts withPublic Works Department (PWD)employees and military and civil-ian leaders at the PWD annual pic-nic/mixer.

“It’s been an honor and privi-lege to be the public works officerand to work and serve with eachand every one of you,” she saidgesturing toward the crowd seatedat the pavilion.

One of the best features aboutbeing the public works officer atJBAB, Bakotic says, is having theopportunity to not only work withenthusiastic people who take pridein their work, but also getting toknow them on a personal level.

“Working with folks like youeach and every day, and gettingto know folks’ families and seeingpeople working hard every day,serving their country in such aprofessional manner, I am going tomiss that, terribly,” she continued.

Joint Base Commander NavyCapt. Frank Mays thanked Bakoticfor her service and overall contri-butions to the installation.

“Thank you, Lt. Col. Bakotic, forall of your efforts over the last 10

months. I know that your relief isright around the corner. We wishyou could stick around longer, butthe Air Force and the U.S. Govern-ment has bigger and better plansfor you. Thanks for all of your ef-forts,” Mays said.

The PWD deputy director AndyHolland also recognized the im-pact Bakotic’s leadership has hadwithin the department since shebegan working at the departmentlast year.

“She has been one of the bestbosses that I have had in my20-plus-years career, and we areall going to miss her,” Hollandsaid.

Bakotic is set to start her newposition later this month.

And while she is looking for-ward to taking her vast experi-ence in military leadership to theexecutive branch of government,

she did, however, express a deepappreciation for the military andcivilian personnel she has come toknow during her tenure at JBAB.

“It is kind of bittersweet leav-ing JBAB. Having a position whereI can really focus on folks aroundme, that’s what drives me. It hasreally been a great opportunity tobe a public works officer and to bethe department head and have somany great folks working for you,”Bakotic said.

Influential people that have af-fected Bakotic’s leadership extendbeyond JBAB, she explained.

“I have learned a lot and work-ing with my other colleagues atthe Washington Navy Yard. I havemade some friends there and Ihope they will be friends for life,”she said.

Bakotic appreciated the oppor-tunity to glean professional insight

from another military branch dueto her unique position.

“Serving the Navy as an AirForce public works departmenthead has been very eye-opening.I have had some great Skippersthat have taught me a lot. They’vetaughtme not only about the Navy,

but about leadership and I have atremendous amount of respect forthem,” Bakotic said.

The JBAB public works officerposition is primarily an “engineer-ing job,” according to Bakotic.

“In any job, you have the op-portunity to learn,” she said.

Bittersweet departure for public works department officer at Joint Base

A banner bids farewell to outgoing Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB)Public Works Department Officer Air Force Lt. Col. Kristen Bakotic.

U.S. NAVY PHOTOS BY ROBERT W. MITCHELL

Outgoing Public Works Department (PWD) Officer Air Force Lt. Col.Kristen Bakotic recognized for her work at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling(JBAB).

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY ROBERT W. MITCHELL

Air Force Honor Guard Commander Lt. Col. Timothy Thurston II delivers remarks at the graduation ceremony ofClass 2014-C held at the Honor Guard Ceremonial Hall at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

3Friday, June 13, 2014Joint Base Journal Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

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1984, McDonald began his fire-fighting career in 1974, while stilla teenager, as a volunteer with theStafford Volunteer Fire Depart-ment (SVFD) in Stafford, Virginia.

McDonald is credited with thesaving of at least seven lives dur-ing his career andmentored manyrookie firefighters.

McDonald served four yearsin the U.S. Navy as a boatswain’smate, most of which was aboardthe destroyer USS Caron (DD-970), during which time he earneda sea service deployment award.

He is survived by a wife andtwo children.

Friend, mentor, hero,servant of God

During the service, members ofthe two fire departments, friendsand family, eulogized McDonald.

NDW Fire Chief Charles P.Miedzinski, told the audienceabout the lives of people thatMcDonald and the crew of JBAB-based Tower Ladder 21 saved froma burning apartment building inOxon Hill, Maryland, a commu-nity located just outside of the na-tion’s capital, as just one exampleof McDonald’s lifesaving efforts.

SVFD Fire Chief Dave Luckett,related howMcDonald served as amentor to many rookie firefightersand helped them in many ways,professionally and personally.

“He took me under his wingwhen I joined the fire departmentat age 15. He taught me and evenhelped me get a firefighting job atthe Quantico Marine Corps Base,”Luckett said.

Miedzinski added, “He was notjust a Battalion Chief, he was afriend to all firefighters – at workand at home. He always took goodcare of his firefighters.”

Luckett recalled, “He made usfeel good as soon as he walkedinto a room. He took the time toteach us the right way to do thingsand pushed us to always be thebest.”

While McDonald was the firechief at SVFD, which is also knownas Stafford County Fire and Res-cue Company 2, the department’smotto, “Committed 2 Excellence”was coined, according to firefight-er and SVFD president, Curt Avis.

As a lasting tribute to McDon-

ald, his name and chief’s title waspainted on the passenger doors offire engines at JBAB and the adja-cent Naval Research Laboratory,for all firefighters entering thetrucks to see, each and every timethey enter to perform their duties.

With his volunteerism, lifesav-ing and his endless quest to helpothers in need, McDonald was ahero to many people, but most ofall to his family.

“During snowstorms, we’dgo out in his four wheeled drivetruck, looking for people stuck inthe snow, to help them in a good-will, genuine, heartfelt gesture,”McDonald’s daughter, Ashley,said.

His giving and helping naturewill live on, Ashley reported. Thedonation of his bones and tissuewill continue his legacy of helpingothers in need, she said.

While helping others was hispassion; leading and helping hisfamily was his love.

NDW Acting Deputy Fire ChiefMike Murray, read a letter fromone of McDonald’s close friends.The friend called McDonald,“Hard working and hard playing.”The friend’s letter emphasizedMcDonald’s love for his family.“His accomplishments were his

family,” the friend wrote.“There was nothing dad

wouldn’t do for our family,” Mc-Donald’s daughter, Katie, remem-bered.

He was also a God-loving man,dedicating his life along with hisfamily to Jesus Christ, she said.

A slide show, featuring manyphotos, spanning much of Mc-Donald’s life and set to countyand western music, including theGarth Brooks’ song, “Friends inlow places,” brought both smilesto faces and tears to eyes as fellowfirefighters, friends and familyviewed and recalled many of thescenes.

Miedzinski and Luckett pre-sented McDonald’s family withthe folded and cased flags of bothfire departments. The Interna-tional Association of Firefighters(IAFF) awardedMcDonald its Lineof Duty Deathmedal. McDonald isthe 2,294thIAFF member to fall inthe line of duty.

Closing the church service, afirefighter played out the longtimefirefighting tradition of striking afire bell with the traditional codeand bell pattern of 5-5-5; threeseparate batches of five strikes ofthe bell, signifying the last alarmfor McDonald.

Following the church service,McDonald’s remains, containedin an urn, were driven to the cem-etery on NDW Tower Ladder 21,by the same firefighter that droveMcDonald on a fire truck, afterMcDonald was promoted to serveas the fire captain of that fire com-pany, before being promoted tobattalion chief.

InternmentUpon arrival at the cemetery,

Luckett and Miedzinski carriedMcDonald’s remains and a U.S.Flag from the fire truck and turnedthem over to a lead petty officerfrom the JBAB-based U.S. NavyCeremonial Guard, following anexchange of salutes between thefire chiefs and the Sailors.

The handoff signified the tran-sition between the full honors firedepartment funeral to the execu-tion of a precision military funeraland internment at a national cem-etery for Veterans.

A Navy Band bugler playedTaps and Navy CeremonialGuardsmen rendered honors, in-cluding a gun salute, before pre-senting a U.S. Flag, folded by theSailors, to the family.

Miedzinski presented the fam-ily with McDonald’s Battalion

Chief’s fire helmet, well scarred bythe many fires the he helped fightduring his time as a chief.

During the ceremonies, hun-dreds of firefighters stood at atten-tion, saluted and looked like a seaof blue, just as they had during thechurch service, earlier.

The words of a pastor, utteredduring the church service, re-mained fresh in theminds of thoseat the cemetery. “Johnny is notdead, he’s been promoted to par-adise. This is a time to celebratethat he lived, not that he died. Thisis not the end, but rather, a newbeginning.”

“Johnny Mac lived well; lovedwell and laughed well. He is notdead, for the best is yet to come,”the pastor stated.

Likewise, the words containedin the friend’s letter read by Mur-ray, included, “You can shed tearsbecause he is gone or you cansmile because he lived.”

Similarly, a letter read on be-half of McDonald’s oldest broth-er, Rod, encouraged the crowd to“Count your rainbows, not yourthunderstorms.”

A Stafford County Fire andRescue dispatcher transmitted alast call voice alarm over the firedepartment radio in honor of Mc-Donald and concluded the dis-patch with the statement, “He willbe missed.”

D.C. Fire Department’s PipeBand played Amazing Grace as thememorial service came to an end.

“Remember the good times, hissmiles; and remember him often,”daughter Ashley suggested.

She continued, “I hope youwill take the lessons of my dad’slife; what he taught you, and do ashe did, helping others in any waythat you can. Let his legacy liveforever,”

“Do for others as he did foryou. Teach others as he taughtyou,” daughter Katie concluded.

“He was a valuable asset atJBAB. His loss will certainly im-pact all of us. We will not soonforget his long and dedicated ser-vice and fellowship,” JBAB Com-mander Navy Capt. Frank Mayssaid earlier.

Mays’ statements reflect thoseof hundreds of other people whoknew, personally interacted orworked with, were taught by orbenefitted from McDonald’s vol-unteerism, professionalism, integ-rity, love, friendship or generosity.

FUNERALn continued from 1

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY JOSEPH P. CIRONE

A group of teens salute the funeral procession of Fire Department Battalion Chief John (“Johnny Mac”) McDon-ald. Hundreds of firefighters from multiple states were joined by military members, police and the public honor-ing McDonald, 54, a Navy veteran and a life member, volunteer firefighter and former fire chief of the Stafford(Virginia) Volunteer Fire Department, a volunteer Battalion Chief with the Stafford County (Virginia) Fire andRescue Department and a paid firefighter and Battalion Chief with the Naval District Washington Fire and Emer-gency Services. McDonald passed while on duty at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB), where he served as aFire Battalion Chief at the JBAB-based Central Battalion, on May 30.


4 Friday, June 13, 2014 Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Joint Base Journal Friday, June 13, 2014Joint Base Journal Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

John “Johnny Mac” McDonald (Aug. 31, 1959 -May 30, 2014)


Naval District Washington Fire and Emergency Service Chief Charles P. Miedzinski presents Fire Department Battalion Chief John (“Johnny Mac”) McDonald’s fire helmet to his wife while their daughter provides comfort.


A firefighter comforts a co-worker during the memorial service for Fire Department Bat-talion Chief John (“Johnny Mac”) McDonald.


U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard members stand ready to fire a gun salute at the memorial service in honor of FireDepartment Battalion Chief John (“Johnny Mac”) McDonald. U.S. NAVY PHOTOS BY JOSEPH P. CIRONEU.S. NAVY PHOTOS BY JOSEPH P. CIRONE

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Fair winds and following seas, Shipmate - You will be missed!


Firefighters salute at the memorial service held in honor of Fire Department Battalion Chief John (“Johnny Mac”) McDonald at a memorial service.

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Jb journal 061314