Back from Iraq, fireman is recognized by his peers

— Steve Beck, volunteer chief of the Brookland Fire Protection District, compares his firefighting career with serving in Iraq for the last 15 months as part of the Arkansas National Guard's 875th Engineer Battalion.

In both instances, there were trucks to be fixed.

And Beck, 42, a battalion mechanic, felt equally at home tinkering with a fire truck in Brookland or an armored humvee in the Iraqi desert.

There were moments of excitement fighting fires in the Brookland district and surviving enemy missiles shot at his Logistical Support Area 50 miles northwest of Baghdad at a rate of 20 per week.

"It's a lot alike when you think about it," Beck said.

On Saturday, after being home from Iraq for a week, and five months after being named Firefighter of the Year by the Arkansas State FirefightersAssociation, Beck received his award.

The association announced its winner in June, but Beck, a sergeant in the National Guard, was still in Iraq.

"Steve embodies what the firefighters of Arkansas do and work toward," said Kevin McMasters, president of the Arkansas State Firefighters Association on Friday. "Steve was chosen for his significant values as a firefighter."

Beck was nominated for the award by members of his Brookland Fire Protection District earlier this year for his work in 2006.

"He wasn't chosen for doing one thing," McMasters said. "He didn't run into a burning building and save a puppy. Instead, it's for everything he's done as a fireman."

Last year, Beck continued serving as Brookland's fire chief.He is also a paid full-time firefighter at the Jonesboro Fire Department and an instructor for the state fire academy, where he helps obtain grants for the firefighters association.

He was deployed to Iraq in July with the Arkansas National Guard's 875th Engineer Battalion.

Beck returned home for four days in September 2006 and came back briefly in May.

As a mechanic in Iraq, Beckrepaired the vehicles the battalion used to help clear roadways of explosive devices.

He was in a service shop on June 16 when notified he had won the award.

It was a monumental day for him. On the same day, Beck was promoted to sergeant in the National Guard.

"It was quite a day," he said. "I'll never forget it."

McMasters attempted to establish an Internet video link with Beck that day to present the award. Moments before they were to go online with the presentation, the Internet feed was lost. The association gave theaward to Beck's wife, Iris, and his daughter, Kathryn, instead.

On Saturday, friends and family held a combination welcome home celebration with the award presentation.

Beck began his firefighting career with the Albion Volunteer Fire Department in White County in 1986. He moved to Jonesboro and joined the fire department there in 1990. He later took over as chief of the Brookland department.

"It means a lot," he said Saturday of the award. "There are about 18,000 firefighters in Arkansas and to be recognized like that is amazing."

Arkansas, Pages 19, 20 on 10/07/2007

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