Navy Vet Among 265 Grads
Sub Launched FDNY Dream

By ARI PAUL

Some people become firefighters because of family tradition, but Brett Munsey decided to join the Fire Department while on a U.S. Navy submarine during the first Gulf War.

The Chief-Leader/Michael O'Kane FOR CITY AND COUNTRY: Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta and Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano pose with the 19 members of the graduating class of Probationary Firefighters who previously served in the U.S. Armed Forces July 19. Four of them served in the current war in Iraq.

Originally from Seattle, he did damage control on board the ship, which inspired him to want to do his firefighting in New York.

'The Biggest and Best'

"The FDNY is the biggest; it's the best," said Mr. Munsey, who will soon be a part of Ladder Company 163 in the Woodside section of Queens.

He took a while getting there, however. After the Persian Gulf War ended in 1991, Mr. Munsey remained in the Navy for another six years, then became an Emergency Medical Technician just outside Seattle.

But even with the easing of the age limit for new Firefighters that is granted to military veterans, Mr. Munsey, who is now 39, began to hear the clock ticking, and he took the 2002 exam for the job.

The Chief-Leader/Michael O'Kane FROM COLD STEEL TO FIRE: Former cop and Probationary Firefighter Stuart Ingram - who survived a stabbing on the job earlier this year - received his certificate at a graduation ceremony July 31. From left: Mayor Bloomberg; Mr. Ingram's father, Battalion Chief Robert Ingram; Mr. Ingram; Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta, and Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano.

The events of 9/11 influenced him somewhat, he said, but he believes he would have taken the test at that point regardless. If he hadn't, he explained, "I would have always been wondering, 'What if ...'''

A Class of 265

Mr. Munsey was one of 265 Probationary Firefighters who graduated from the Fire Academy July 31 during a ceremony in Colden Center at Queens College. He was also one of 19 graduates who had served in the U.S. Armed Forces; four of those served in the second war and current occupation in Iraq. As families cheered and babies cried from every corner of the auditorium, Mayor Bloomberg, Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta and Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano presented the 265 men with their certificates.

In his address, the Mayor noted the novelty of Class One of 2007, as it received five extra weeks of training in addition to the traditional 13. The class starting next month will go through 23 weeks of Academy training.

He also pointed out several graduates of note, such as Christopher Russell, whose father was one of the 343 firefighters killed on 9/11, and former cop Stuart B. Ingram, who was stabbed by someone he was trying to arrest but saved by his badge last March.

"Stuart really is a hero," the Mayor said, "which means he'll fit right in with the FDNY."

Flying Pink

Mr. Scoppetta commended the graduates not just for their performance in training, but for volunteering at nursing homes. All the graduates wore pink ribbons in support of the wife of Lieut. James Brennan, the event's master of ceremonies, who is battling breast cancer.

Mr. Scoppetta and Chief Cassano encouraged the graduates to continue asking questions and honing their skills on the job.

"You are joining the greatest fire department in the world," Mr. Scoppetta said. "But you still have a lot to learn."

The Class Valedictorian, Sean DeNigris, focused on his classmates' ability to achieve excellence on the job.

Quoting Aristotle, he said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit."

Mr. DeNigris challenged his classmates to "expand and grow."

Recordo Demetrius won the class physical fitness award. The Salutatorian was Michael R. Padula.

The class included a set of brothers, Brian J. and Michael R. Paglino.

A Family Tradition

Mr. Ingram joined the Police Department in early 2006 and left this March, shortly after his brush with death, but not, he said, because of the incident. Having completed both Police Officer and Firefighter training, he compared the two experiences after the ceremony.

"The Police Department focused more on the law," he said. "The Fire Department is more technical and physical."

Like many of the graduates, Mr. Ingram is from a firefighting family. His father, Robert, is the Battalion Chief of the department's Center for Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness.

He said he will most likely work at a firehouse in Queens. When asked why he ultimately made the switch, he responded it was "knowing that I was doing something my father had done and my uncles before me." The other graduates were:

John Albarino, Nathan J. Allanach, Patrick J. Amato, James D. Amberger, Jack Antico, Andrew C. Antoni Jr., Joseph J. Aquilina, James F. Ardisana, Michael P. Ayello, Michael W. Babb, Michael K. Bacich, James R. Baker, Andrzej Balczyk, Thomas A. Balukas Jr., Matthew Barbara, Steven M. Barongi, John R. Basquez III, Alan J. Beach, Christop R. Beal, Steven R. Beers, Nicholas A. Berman, Charles E. Bert, Darshone D. Bethea, Leonard M. Bieler, Pedro A. Bisono, Brendan F. Boland, Matthew G. Boone, Derrick J. Bosinski, Todd R. Brady, David T. Brennan, Nicholas E. Brisotti, Peter B. Brower, Salvator C. Buzzetta, Robert W. Bystricky;

Sean B. Callahan, Stephen M. Camarda, Daniel R. Caridi, Paul T. Caruti, Kevin T. Cassidy, James J. Cerrato Jr., Andrew Cheung, Douglas R. Chiz, Rosario C. Cicero, Michael F. Ciesla, Brook O. Cleveland, Kevin Clifford, Robert Colon, Christopher W. Conklin, John M. Connelly, Joseph S. Connolly, Richard S. Coro, Gavin M. Cortez, Ralph F. Costello Jr., Daniel L. Cullen Jr., Erik C. Daly, Michael R. David, Eric J. Davidson, Ryan D. Davis, Robert C. Del Real, Thomas M. Del Zoppo, Mitchell A. Delirod Jr., Christopher D. DeLuca, Richard Devine, Vincent G. Dillon, Anthony V. DiStefano;

Thomas F. Dolan III, Michael Dominici, Patrick F. Donohue, Timothy J. Downey, Adrian C. Draguc, William R. Dunlop, Craig T. Dwyer, Mark P. Dziemian, Daniel E. Eckstein, Michael M. Egan, Sean P. Ehatt, Kevin Z. Erkman, Luis Estevez, Richard P. Faraci, Matthew R. Farletta, Michael Farrell, Bryan D. Fealy, Brian G. Fitzpatrick, John J. Fitzwilliam, Henri J. Gaudin, Peter G. Georganes, Larry George, Jacob M. Gershen, Vincent A. Giallombardo, Thomas D. Giglia, Todd M. Giraudin, Daniel Goffredo, Christopher M. Greco, Michael C. Guiseppone, Michael J. Gumbus, Ryan K. Hall, Patrick D. Hannigan, Brian K. Hinson, Christopher P. Horning;

James T. Hurson, George J. Husing, Nicola M. Iannaco, Brian M. Infanzon, Joseph C. Inga, John R. Ingram, Stephen J. Interdonati, Derek J. Isaac, Daniel W. Jankowski, Bryan T. Johnson, Jason T. Johnson, Ryan J. Johnson, Asmar S. Jones, Fernand J. Joseph, Krist Kabashi, James P. Kasysanski, Joseph D. Keene, Brian D. Kehoe, Kevin F. Kern, Sean M. Killarney, Patrick L. Kingsland, Keith R. Knoernschild, Louis J. Knoop, Andrew S. Koch, Christopher Koch, Stephen W. Kotlarchyk, Richard F. Koziak, Christopher J. Krajewski, Daniel L. Lebron, David C. Levens, Jesse B. Lewis, Patrick Longogardi, Douglas T. Lopez;

Christopher M. Lucarelli, Brendan J. Lunny, Justin W. Lynch, Sean J. Madey, Andrew F. Magenheim, Timothy J. Mahoney, Jesus Marcano, Scott M. Marconti, Aaron B. Martin Jr., Michael Marzano, Umberto Mathieu, Anthony S. Matulich Jr., Michael W. Mauch, Andrew L. Maxwell, Michael R. May, Sean T. McDonagh, Brian S. McGill, Brian J. McNamara, Christian M. McNamara, Ryan J. McNena, Yusuf Mead, Michael Mehling, Andres F. Mendez, Milton M. Mendez, Dennis J. Milazzo, Daniel T. Mitchell, Michael J. Molinini, Edil Montes, Gavin W. Moore, Timothy E. Morenzoni, Thomas M. Moriarty, James J. Morton, Giancarlo Mosca, George O. Mueller;

Sean M. Muranelli, Brian T. Murphy, Christopher P. Murray, Anthony P. Nasta, Jonathan C. Neureuther, Jason B. Newhoff, Vincent Nicolino, John Nohowec, Michael P. Norris, Michael J. Nuzzi, Lance W. O'Byrne, Kevin J. O'Connor, Spencer M. Odell, Michael D. O'Hara II, Thomas A. O'Reilly, Justin A. Pelka, Giuseppe R. Penoro, Frank M. Perez, Jean-Paul Petit, Anthony Petito, Ryan T. Phelan, Anthony J. Picozzi, Edward J. Piotrowski, Jovis Pognon, Michael C. Prinz, Kristian M. Prior, Joshua R. Procida, Joseph W. Punk, Gregory Rademacher, Christopher J. Redmond, Eric C. Reekie;

Robert T. Reiman, Edwin A. Reynosa, Martin L. Richardson Jr., Michael T. Roche, David Rodahan, John J. Rodriguez, Vidal D. Rodriguez, Eric D. Ruckdeschel, Christopher Russell, Scott C. Sakacs, Michael R. Sanjurjo, Michael J. Sarro, Jason A. Saulle, Michael A. Scannapieco, Terry B. Schumacher, Nicholas S. Scigliano, John D. Scrocca, Brian J. Shanahan, Robert Shannon, Robert V. Sheehan, Tomas S. Signorelli, Matthew J. Sinclair, Kurt P. Sinski, Christopher M. Slattery, Jacob A. Smith, Paul E. Smith, Thomas Smith, Philip A. Sorrentino, Daniel R. Spatta, Christopher L. Stanley, Daniel M. Sullivan, Shaun L. Sullivan, Marc A. Sylvers;

Jean Tanis, Oscar E. Telleria, Jaysun G. Thom, Michael R. Toscano, Thean S. Traynor, Christopher B. Tucker, Brian J. Tymczyszyn, Franklin Uceta, Jacob I. Uihlein, Rosario P. Vaccaro, Joseph Vargas, Robert E. Ventimiglia, Robert V. Wallace, Joseph A. Walsh, Brendan J. Ward, Brandon J. Weeks, Travis Wilkinson, William R. Willets, Ellis D. Williams, Rhyan M. Wischerth, Jared W. Wutz, Eric Yanega, Christopher M. Zaffino, Kevin M. Zanoni, Robert W. Zirbel, Joseph J. Zorlenzan.