thedrifter
07-28-07, 07:11 AM
After a hard day of work, many Marines like to kick off the boots, crack open a nice cold beverage and maybe turn on some television.
However, for Sgt. Jeremiah L. Stecklein being a couch potato just isn’t “all that and a bag of chips.”
When he isn’t working as a military policeman with Combat Logistics Battalion 24, he volunteers his time for the community as an emergency medical technician with Jacksonville Rescue.
At Jacksonville Rescue, the 6-foot EMT spends his time helping people in their time of need, which can range from bandaging simple scrapes to cutting the door off a crashed vehicle with the jaws of life.
“Someone once asked me how you could work as an EMT when all you see is the bad part of life - like blood and guts,” said the 30-year-old native of Belmont, Wis. “Well you just got to be one of those types of people and enjoy helping other people.”
Being at the front lines of life or death everyday can seem depressing or traumatic, but Stecklein looks at his part-time job differently – knowing he can’t save everyone.
“I don’t have control over whether they live or die,” said Stecklein. “There’s only one person who has control of that and I don’t dare tell him how to make his decisions. I can handle losing a patient as long as I know in my heart that I did the best job that I can for that person.”
Stecklein has been saving lives on his free time for the past 10 years, and he has always told himself that he will continue volunteering as an EMT until it just isn’t fun anymore.
“When I was first stationed here I would work a 24-hour shift in the brig, get off, and by 10:30 a.m. be at my next job as an EMT,” said Stecklein. “So I have always been working, not necessarily because I’m a workaholic, but because it’s just fun to me and I like to help others.”
When he not saving lives or protecting the base, Stecklein enjoys cooking savory-gourmet foods – showing he is more than just another barracks bachelor. Before joining the Marine Corps, he studied food service management at the South Western Technical College of Wisconsin.
“I have always had a knack for cooking and I come from a family of cooks,” said Stecklein. “At school I learned how to cut whole meats, soups, breads and desserts. I also never measure, what looks good and what tastes good is obviously much more important.”
“I would have continued going to college but I ran out of money, so I joined the Marine Corps,” said Stecklein. “I never really thought about being a cook in the Marines because at that point in my life I wanted to do law enforcement.”
One of the ways he puts his educated-cooking skills to use is by baking wedding cakes for his fellow Marines and friends.
“If you know anything about wedding cakes you know they are expensive,” said Stecklein, who once made a $700 wedding cake with just $50. “As Marines, we don’t make a lot of money and I firmly believe that we should help each other out as much as possible.”
Just ask one of his friends about his flair in the kitchen and they will say he has it down to a science.
“I had the pleasure of eating a delicious meal prepared by Jeremiah,” remembered Jessie Kilian, a friend of Stecklein. “His soup was tasty and served at the perfect temperature. His salad was colorful and crisp and his main dish, Chicken Marsala, was seasoned to perfection.”
For hobbies, Stecklein isn’t just limited to the ground either. On the weekends Stecklein will occasionally rent a plane for a few hours and just explore the skies. He says he aims to fly at least twice a month.
“There’s no other feeling like it,” said Stecklein, who became a certified pilot by the Aviation Administration four days before enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1997. “When I’m up 8,500 feet in the air, I can look down and see you guys just stuck on the tiny road. I love it because I can go anywhere and have no restrictions.”
Whether it’s saving lives, filling stomachs, or just exploring the blue sky – Stecklein believes staying active, not just hanging around the barracks, and helping others are key to happiness.
However, for Sgt. Jeremiah L. Stecklein being a couch potato just isn’t “all that and a bag of chips.”
When he isn’t working as a military policeman with Combat Logistics Battalion 24, he volunteers his time for the community as an emergency medical technician with Jacksonville Rescue.
At Jacksonville Rescue, the 6-foot EMT spends his time helping people in their time of need, which can range from bandaging simple scrapes to cutting the door off a crashed vehicle with the jaws of life.
“Someone once asked me how you could work as an EMT when all you see is the bad part of life - like blood and guts,” said the 30-year-old native of Belmont, Wis. “Well you just got to be one of those types of people and enjoy helping other people.”
Being at the front lines of life or death everyday can seem depressing or traumatic, but Stecklein looks at his part-time job differently – knowing he can’t save everyone.
“I don’t have control over whether they live or die,” said Stecklein. “There’s only one person who has control of that and I don’t dare tell him how to make his decisions. I can handle losing a patient as long as I know in my heart that I did the best job that I can for that person.”
Stecklein has been saving lives on his free time for the past 10 years, and he has always told himself that he will continue volunteering as an EMT until it just isn’t fun anymore.
“When I was first stationed here I would work a 24-hour shift in the brig, get off, and by 10:30 a.m. be at my next job as an EMT,” said Stecklein. “So I have always been working, not necessarily because I’m a workaholic, but because it’s just fun to me and I like to help others.”
When he not saving lives or protecting the base, Stecklein enjoys cooking savory-gourmet foods – showing he is more than just another barracks bachelor. Before joining the Marine Corps, he studied food service management at the South Western Technical College of Wisconsin.
“I have always had a knack for cooking and I come from a family of cooks,” said Stecklein. “At school I learned how to cut whole meats, soups, breads and desserts. I also never measure, what looks good and what tastes good is obviously much more important.”
“I would have continued going to college but I ran out of money, so I joined the Marine Corps,” said Stecklein. “I never really thought about being a cook in the Marines because at that point in my life I wanted to do law enforcement.”
One of the ways he puts his educated-cooking skills to use is by baking wedding cakes for his fellow Marines and friends.
“If you know anything about wedding cakes you know they are expensive,” said Stecklein, who once made a $700 wedding cake with just $50. “As Marines, we don’t make a lot of money and I firmly believe that we should help each other out as much as possible.”
Just ask one of his friends about his flair in the kitchen and they will say he has it down to a science.
“I had the pleasure of eating a delicious meal prepared by Jeremiah,” remembered Jessie Kilian, a friend of Stecklein. “His soup was tasty and served at the perfect temperature. His salad was colorful and crisp and his main dish, Chicken Marsala, was seasoned to perfection.”
For hobbies, Stecklein isn’t just limited to the ground either. On the weekends Stecklein will occasionally rent a plane for a few hours and just explore the skies. He says he aims to fly at least twice a month.
“There’s no other feeling like it,” said Stecklein, who became a certified pilot by the Aviation Administration four days before enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1997. “When I’m up 8,500 feet in the air, I can look down and see you guys just stuck on the tiny road. I love it because I can go anywhere and have no restrictions.”
Whether it’s saving lives, filling stomachs, or just exploring the blue sky – Stecklein believes staying active, not just hanging around the barracks, and helping others are key to happiness.