Carey D. Waddell is a remarkable example of dedication, perseverance and excellence in the fire service. He has not only served his community for 30 years as a firefighter, but also pursued higher education and earned a PhD from a prestigious university.

Waddell’s career in the fire service began in 1991, when he joined the United States Air Force as a firefighter. After four years of service, he continued his civil service career at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he rose through the ranks from firefighter, engineer, lieutenant, to fire inspector.

In 2004, he joined the Department of Navy Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) Enterprise and embarked on an adventurous journey that took him to different countries and continents. He served as a fire captain, assistant chief for operations, battalion chief, assistant chief for training, installation fire chief, and assistant chief for fire prevention in various naval bases in Greece, Spain, Japan, Okinawa, and California.

Waddell is an active member of several organizations related to the fire service, such as the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), Honors Society, David Price Air Force Association, SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society and The National Fire Heritage Center.

Waddell is currently serving as the U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay F&ES Deputy Fire Chief, possessing 30 years of experience in the fire service. He is also a board member of The National Fire Heritage Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the history and culture of the fire service.

Waddell’s story is an inspiration for anyone who wants to pursue their dreams and goals while serving their community. He has shown that with hard work, passion and determination, anything is possible.

Also in the news is Notozi Jennifer Mgobozi. She is not your ordinary grandmother. She is a 75-year-old woman who has just graduated with a Master’s degree in Education from Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in East London, South Africa. And she is not stopping there. She already has her sights set on a PhD.

Mgobozi was born in Langa, but currently stays in Milnerton, Cape Town. She has a long and illustrious career in teacher development and quality education. She enrolled at WSU in 2018, after working for various organisations and institutions, including the University of Cape Town (UCT), the Department of Education, and Collegiate Junior Secondary School in Gqeberha.

Mgobozi said she was excited and proud of her achievement, which is part of a legacy that she wants to leave behind for others to benefit from and be inspired by. She said education has been her passion since the beginning, and she has always sought to make a difference in the education system, for both teachers and learners.

She started working as a primary school teacher, but had to leave the field after she got married. However, she could not stay away from her calling for long. She was invited by an NGO at UCT to be part of a team that was conducting an ethnographic study. She later joined the Department of Education as a curriculum adviser, and then moved to Collegiate Junior Secondary School, where she was one of the first teachers to assist with language transition as black students were being accepted at former Model C schools.