Air Guard units head to Germany for training

This is the first in a series of stories tracking Nevada Air National Guard units during a training mission in Europe. Two squadrons - civil engineering and medical - from the 152nd Airlift Wing are doing their annual two-week training in Germany. The Nevada Appeal will tell some of their stories.

Nevada Air National Guard member Ray Fierro from Dayton had to leave his 12-year-old daughter Phoebe -who is visiting from Virginia - at his parents' house when he left for Germany this morning.

His unit, the civil engineering squadron for the 152nd Airlift Wing, is flying across the Atlantic Ocean in their C-130s today for two weeks of training.

"That's the hard part," he said. "I don't get to see her all year and it's hard to have to leave when she's here."

But he doesn't regret joining the National Guard 14 years ago.

"I have a love and respect for my country," he said. "That's one of the reasons I joined. And it's also given me a lot of opportunities."

He estimates 90 percent of his education was paid by the guard. And his education is ongoing - annual missions like the one to Germany are hands-on training from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

As a member of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning section of the squadron, he's helped build schools in Jamaica, roofs in Nova Scotia and drainage systems in Alaska. Training overseas exposes the airmen to different systems than they would find in Northern Nevada.

"There's only so many different air conditioning units and boilers on the base," he said. "We continue our training so that when something like Iraq comes up, we're ready for it."

In the civilian world, Fierro works as a right-of-way engineer for the Nevada Department of Transportation. His wife, Erin, serves in the 152nd, too, as a member of the operations section.

Fierro has lived in the area all his life - he was born in Reno, lived in Carson before school, attended elementary school while living at Lake Tahoe and moved with his family to Dayton for junior high and high school.

"I like it out here in Dayton, he said. "I'm really involved in the community."

He serves with the Lyon County Sheriff's Department search and rescue unit and with the Lyon County Planning Commission.

"Dayton's booming," he said. "So many people are either developing the area or rushing to move out here."

He's concerned about providing resources like water, public safety and schools for new residents.

"Another thing that's a major concern to me is traffic. In the mornings you can't hardly get out onto the highway any more," he said, pointing to the intersection of Highway 50 and Riverboat Road near his home.

Fierro said he attends planning commission meetings for much the same reason he serves in the guard.

"I want to make a difference. And I complain a lot, so I figure if I'm going to complain I might as well do something about it."

Fierro was off Friday and spent the day with Phoebe, who he won't see for two weeks. They looked at their pet fish. She has a little orange fish with a big tail in a tank in the living room, while his three blue damsels are in the salt-water tank in the bedroom.

"She's gets to name all the fish," he said.

"My fish is named Red Rainbow," she said. "I tried to name all of dad's but I ran out of names. I got one, though - Dory from 'Finding Nemo.'"

When Fierro and the other 60 members of the 152nd Airlift Wing civil engineering squadron return in two weeks, he'll spend a lot of time with Phoebe before she goes back to live with mom in Virginia.

"We'll go to Virginia City," she said.

"And she wants to go to the Carson City hot springs," he added.

And they'll take care of their fish.

"We're going to get a humongous tank soon," Phoebe said.

"We already have the tank, we just have to get the rest of the stuff together," he said.

Contact Karl Horeis at khoreis@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.