Bronx Firefighter Receives 'Major' Promotion
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A city firefighter who continues to serve his country overseas was promoted Friday at a special ceremony in the Bronx. NY1's Dean Meminger filed the following report.Jason Brezler is truly one of New York's Bravest. Not only is he a firefighter at Ladder 58 in the Bronx, he's also a member of the United States Marines Corps Reserves. On Friday, he was promoted to the rank of major.
"Jason is the kind of firefighter you can count on, no matter the situation. The training he brought with him from previously being a Marines when he came to Ladder 58 obviously showed," said New York City Fire Department Captain Joseph Principio.
Brezler has been with the FDNY for almost five years and a Marine for more than 10, having served both in Afghanistan and Iraq.
A recipient of a promotion warrant from the president, Brezler became teary eyed at times, especially when talking about fellow Marines who died in war.
"My best friend who was killed in Afghanistan last summer. So it is emotional. I just came home last week and hugged his twins who he never met," Brezler said.
Getting promoted to a major in the Marines is a very big deal. The ceremony could have been held in Washington, D.C. or even in Afghanistan, but Brezler said he wanted it in the Bronx.
"This firehouse is extremely important to me and some of these men are some of my best friends. And it's really what our nation experienced on 9/11, specifically this department, that kind of, I guess, kept me in the Marine Corps, kept me active, kept me going overseas," Brezler said.
Brezler is originally from Baltimore, but calls the Bronx home now. In the coming weeks, the 32-year-old bachelor will go through some retraining before returning to active duty with the fire department.
"Regardless of whether he's a Marine, regardless of whether he's a firefighter, he is a very special person and we are lucky to have him in both these services," said Lieutenant Colonel Walter Powers of the United State Marine Corps.
Major Brezler says while he worked to better various communities in Afghanistan, he's eager to get back to saving lives here at home.