Today, the Department of War (DOW) announced the recipients of the 2025 DOW Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) Awards for the outstanding accomplishments of its fire departments, fire officers, firefighters, and fire service instructors. DOW F&ES Working Group representatives from the Military Services and Defense Logistics Agency selected nine winners from a total of 41 nominations.
"These remarkable individuals form the bedrock of our operational readiness, ensuring the safety and security of our service members, their families, and the critical infrastructure supporting our national defense," stated Robert E. Thompson, Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of War for Energy, Installations, and Environment. "Their expertise in fire prevention, public education, and emergency response enables them to continuously provide essential services that preserve mission capability and protect lives."
Each year, three of DOW's most outstanding fire departments receive recognition for achieving the highest degree of excellence in mission support and fire protection management. In addition, DOW's finest fire prevention program is awarded based on its depth and breadth, effectiveness, educational value, and thoroughness in direct support of the organization's mission.
One military firefighter and one civilian firefighter are each awarded for their superior job performance, innovation, and outstanding contributions to a DOW F&ES organization. One military fire officer and one civilian fire officer are also recognized for their superior job performance, outstanding contributions, and leadership within a DOW F&ES organization. Finally, one fire service instructor is awarded for their superior job performance, resourcefulness, and outstanding contributions to a DOW F&ES organization.
Highlights of each winner's 2025 accomplishments, demonstrating the professionalism, courage, and selfless service that define the F&ES community, are as follows:
Small Fire Department of the Year: Naval Support Activity Annapolis, Maryland— Responded to 1,800 mutual aid calls, including 97 vehicle collisions, over 900 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) requests, and 800 structural incidents. The department facilitated 7,156 training hours, training 25 personnel and ensuring 100-percent fire training compliance. The department also hosted a multi-jurisdictional mass casualty drill with over 10 agencies to simulate transporting 50 patients to local hospitals via medivac helicopters, mass casualty buses, and ambulances.
Medium Fire Department of the Year: Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia— Battled a fire on an M113 armored personnel carrier, extricating the crew and containing the fire to the engine, protecting the $8 million combat asset. The department conducted two rescue task force exercises, certifying one instructor and training 200 emergency responders. As part of Fire Prevention Week, the department also produced eight educational videos and seven written articles within 5 days, reaching an audience of 26,470.
Large Fire Department of the Year: Metro San Diego, California— Successfully mitigated a 4-day, 16,000-acre wildland fire on San Clemente Island, saving crucial facilities and ensuring no loss to endangered wildlife. The department educated over 11,000 military personnel and local community members through fire prevention classes. The department also mitigated 3,000 emergency incidents including five structure fires, 15 shipboard emergencies, 50 hazardous materials, 15 technical rescues, and over 2,000 EMS calls.
Fire Prevention Program of the Year: 628th Civil Engineer Squadron, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina— Completed 896 annual inspections and identified 290 fire safety deficits and hazards, eliminating 166 potential community risks to safeguard 132,000 individuals. The squadron conducted 82 diverse training events, hosting educational seminars, outreach programs, briefings, and fire drills to educate 12,000 residents on fire prevention strategies. The program also strengthened community relations by chairing a 'Letters from Santa' campaign, responding to 81 letters from six drop boxes to bring holiday cheer to families.
Military Firefighter of the Year: Senior Airman Jacob J. Meyer, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom— Responded to an 800-pound fuel spill, directing seven team members to rapidly execute remedial actions to protect the KC-135 Stratotanker. This efficient response enabled the tanker to deliver 20,000 pounds of fuel to six North Atlantic Treaty Organization fighter jets that same night. Senior Airman Meyer filled the Station Captain role for 90 days, managing 34 firefighters, conducting 130 training hours, and leading responses to mitigate 47 fire incidents. He also led 24 training hours with the Special Operations Wing, training 14 personnel across three agencies to enhance special operations wing taskings and technical rescue capabilities.
Civilian Firefighter of the Year: Katsuhiro Watanabe, Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan— Spearheaded the creation of an internal Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Awareness course, providing a solid foundation for Japanese speakers, and certified six firefighters. Mr. Watanabe responded to a HAZMAT incident on the USS George Washington, isolating toxic gas release and ultimately protecting over $4.5 billion in national assets while ensuring mission readiness. He also mitigated 519 fire incidents and led 24 ship drills.
Military Fire Officer of the Year: Senior Master Sergeant Aaron P. Strayhorn, Misawa Air Base, Japan— Led 848 Airmen through a 7.6 magnitude earthquake and directed the unit control center through 59 infrastructure crises to recover the installation in 11 hours. Senior Master Sergeant Strayhorn forged the Japan Air Self-Defense Force partnership by leading three large-scale Command and Control exercises. This partnership led to the first bilateral exchange program in 7 years, resulting in a successful joint B-1 fire response that saved Air Force's first Bomber Task Force. He also simplified fire department altering codes, reducing the number of codes from 53 to seven and increasing dispatch notification time by 38 percent.
Civilian Fire Officer of the Year: Richard Matteson, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska— Commanded the response to a F-35 crash in extreme arctic conditions by integrating the deployment of nine wing and mutual aid response teams to save the pilot. Mr. Matteson treated a life-threatening chainsaw injury, applying a tourniquet to stop arterial leg bleeding, and prepared and transported the patient to a trauma center in time to save their life and limb. He also partnered with the Bureau of Land Management to protect a military campground from an approaching 170,000-acre wildfire by clearing 12 acres of fuels, thus protecting 29 log cabins worth $312,000.
Fire Service Instructor of the Year: Tiana Y. Bykowski, Hill Air Force Base, Utah— Led the "Red Card" wildland fire certification program, qualifying 63 firefighters and mitigating 23 emergencies across a 7-day wildfire mitigation effort. The program resulted in the protection of 2 million acres and $1.2 billion in assets. Ms. Bykowski trained 133 firefighters and managed 12,000 training hours, earning the team 96 certifications, and managed 12,000 training hours for 148 firefighters. She also strengthened DOW's Nuclear Surety Program by partnering with Department of Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, providing design and construction support expertise for the Center's $108 million campus with 2,000 staff.
Congratulations to the distinguished 2025 DOW F&ES Awards winners for their remarkable accomplishments and devotion to safeguarding national security and supporting our warfighters. DOW extends its deepest gratitude for their vital contributions to the strength and resilience of the Department. For more information, visit the DOW F&ES Awards website at: https://www.acq.osd.mil/eie/emr/fes/index.html.