Henderson resident heads toward rank of general

Dick Benoit

Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003 | 8:49 a.m.

Henderson resident Col. David Eidsaune, has been nominated by President Bush to become vice commander of the Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and for promotion to brigadier general, Air Force officials announced recently.

In addition to this nomination, Eidsaune has been selected as the new commandant of the Air Force Institute of Technology, assuming command from Col. Michael Heil.

Eidsaune served as a coordinator of the Nevada Test and Training Range at Nellis Air Force Base from July 2000 to June 2002. Since then the 1978 graduate of the Air Force Academy has played a key role in leading the Air Force's center of excellence for development and acquisition of systems, as well as providing operational support for Wright-Patterson's approximately 22,000 members.

Eidsaune is a test pilot with more than 2,600 hours, principally in the F-111, F-4, F-15 and F-16 aircraft.

"This is an exciting and humbling experience," said Eidsaune, whose wife, Jane, and sons Michael and Mark are staying in Henderson for the remainder of the school year. They will join him this summer. Eidsaune's nomination must now be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Firefighting sailor

Navy Fireman Jose Fryfogle, the son of Felicidad Samson-Holt of Las Vegas, recently participated in the Atlantic Fleet's first Damage Control Olympics at the Farrier Fire Fighting School in Virginia. The Olympics consisted of seven competitions that tested the sailors' skills by simulating casualty scenarios aboard ships including fire fighting, flood control, pipe patching, first aid and physical endurance.

"My regular job aboard the ship helped me prepare for the competition," said Fryfogle, who is stationed aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf as a hull maintenance technician. He is responsible for all firefighting equipment on the ship.

Firefighting in the Navy has been given increased emphasis since the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole. Although 17 sailors lost their lives in the terrorist attack, the ship did not sink and is back in the fleet today thanks to the teamwork, and ability of its crew.

"Damage control saves lives," Fryfogle said. "Damage control training allows each sailor to understand what it takes to survive in any onboard emergency."

In brief

The four new soldiers studied the Army mission and received instruction in drill and ceremonies, rifle marksmanship, weapons, map reading, tactics, armed and unarmed combat.