VA profiles Air Force veteran serving as Kansas City fire captain

An Air Force veteran who has spent nearly 34 years with the Kansas City Fire Department took part in a VA emergency exercise in October, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said in a feature story.

According to VA, Andrew Lipari enlisted in the Air Force in January 1987 as a fire protection specialist and served at Torrejon Air Base in Spain and Bergstrom Air Force Base in Texas before separating in September 1991. He later joined the Kansas City Fire Department, where his father served 38 years and his brother 32 years. He is now a department captain and aircraft rescue firefighting training officer.

On Oct. 15, Lipari participated in VA's Kansas City Federal Coordinating Center exercise at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport, VA said. The department said such exercises test how agencies would receive, track and transport patients to area hospitals when demand exceeds medical capacity. The event brought VA, military and community partners together to practice receiving wounded service members and coordinating their care.

VA said Lipari also connects with veterans at airport events, including Honor Flights departing Kansas City for Washington, D.C., and talks with younger firefighters who are veterans.

"Keep contributing," Lipari said, according to VA. "Just because you separate doesn't mean you're done with your military career."

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/692