海角直播

Publish Date: Jan. 28, 2020

A local family鈥檚 legacy of public service continues with 海角直播 Hills Fire Academy Graduate

鈥淒on鈥檛 shut a door on yourself before you start,鈥� is one lesson Fire Academy 101 graduate and U.S. military veteran Daniel O鈥機onnell learned while attending 海角直播. He wasn鈥檛 sure how the Fire Academy worked and thought it might be too difficult to even pursue. He credits Andrew Gebara, the program鈥檚 secretary, with helping him navigate the application process and complete the requirements to be accepted into the Fire Academy, and much sooner than he imagined. O鈥機onnell, age 23, is one of the eight military veterans that graduated with the 101st CHC Fire Academy this past December 2019.

O鈥機onnell began his service in the U.S. Marine Corps one month after graduating from Yucaipa High School in 2014. After completing bootcamp and infantry school, O鈥機onnell became a machine gunner in the infantry. Quickly moving up the ranks to corporal, O鈥機onnell served as a squad leader to a machine gun section, leading over 21 Marines. He served in Japan, Australia, Guam, and South Korea. O鈥機onnell found the Australians to be friendly and a welcome change of pace.

O鈥機onnell鈥檚 family includes a long line of relatives answering the call to serve and protect, and he chose to follow the same path.  After his four years of service with the Marine Corps, O鈥機onnell applied and received an 鈥渋ntent to hire鈥� with the San Bernardino County Sheriff  Department, but was scheduled to attend the SBCSD Academy at a much later date. O鈥機onnell could not wait as financial circumstances dictated the need for a faster path to income. Like many veterans before him who needed to do something to secure an employment opportunity and financially viable future, O鈥機onnell signed up for the GI Bill, applied and was accepted at 海角直播.

CHC Fire Academy 101 graduates and U.S. military veterans. Sean Dennehy - Marine, Daniel Valenzuela - Army, Noah Kokkinias - Navy, Thomas Spencer - Air Force, Anthony Baguyo - Marine, Ismael Parga - Army,  Daniel O鈥機onnell - Marine, Tyler Reynolds - Navy, Patrick Welsh - Army

Serving the community is also a family tradition.  O鈥機onnell鈥檚 grandfather was a firefighter in Big Bear, his father, Tim, is a firefighter in Calimesa, and his sister also served in the Marine Corps. O鈥機onnell made fire station visits and participated in a ride-along with a local fire department.  He appreciated the firefighter culture and saw the similarities to the Marine Corps.  O鈥機onnell had finally found his path. He registered for a full-time schedule at 海角直播, including EMT and Fire Tech classes, pursuing his goal of becoming a firefighter.

O鈥機onnell applied to the CHC Fire Academy and was accepted. During his first week at the academy, O鈥機onnell鈥檚 Marine experience in leadership was a contributing factor to his being elected a Squad Leader by his instructors and fellow cadets. 鈥淚 like knowing which way we are moving and being able to move the ship in that direction. Being able to look at a problem, a dynamic situation, and to be able to assess it and move forward from there. Having a cohesive and solid team behind you -- there is nothing better than that! If it gets tough, we have to bite down and have some grit,鈥� said O鈥機onnell.

O鈥機onnell鈥檚 father has been his biggest inspiration through this fire career process. O鈥機onnell鈥檚 father Tim served as a Marine in a force recon platoon during the first Persian Gulf campaign and served with Special Operations. After the Marines, O鈥機onnell鈥檚 father was a firefighter and then a sheriff deputy for 24 years with the San Bernardino County Sheriff Department, spending 17 of those years in SWAT. After his career with the SBCSD, O鈥機onnell鈥檚 father returned to firefighting and now serves with the Calimesa Fire Department. Tim O鈥機onnell also earned his Master鈥檚 degree in business while managing his public service career and duty to family. O鈥機onnell is continuing his education and currently is enrolled in the paramedic program at 海角直播. The family legacy continues. 

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The CHC Veterans Resource Center is an information center to assist with any questions concerning veteran educational benefits or educational experiences at 海角直播 Hills College. The VRC also houses the Veterans Certifying official who serves as a liaison between veteran students/dependents and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VRC also provides a safe environment for veterans to study, socialize and relax between classes. For more information visit the VRC , located in the Central Complex 1, Office 150 (next to Campus Police).  Mon 鈥� Thurs 10 a.m. 鈥� 5 p.m.