[DieHard the Hunter]

> Newton Fire Chief Joseph LaCroix wants the patriotic decoration gone, saying it does not conform to the department’s rules.

What an unpatriotic pencil-pushing plonker.

> LaCroix, himself a veteran of the Vietnam War, said that his decision has nothing to do with the flag, but with how he wants his department to conduct business.
>
> “We run a quasi-military operation here,”

Mistake #1: no you don’t, sir, or at least you shouldn’t. Fire Brigade is an Emergency Service, not a branch of the Military.

[buccaneer81]

You’re right. Here in Ohio, the only quasi-military organization recognized is the Ohio Highway Patrol (aka the State Police.)

[Gondring]

Mistake #1: no you don’t, sir, or at least you shouldn’t. Fire Brigade is an Emergency Service, not a branch of the Military.

That was what struck me most about his comments.

[The Chief]

The fire department is a “quasi-military operation” there is a chain of command, usually starting at 2nd LT, then 1st LT, then Captain, then possibly Assistant Chief(s) and Department Chief. My Department has 4 2nd LT’s, 4 1st’s, 4 Captains and 1 Chief with three Assistant Chiefs!