War hits home — and the wallet

Firefighters, town spar over what’s owed to jake in Iraq

By Laurel J. Sweet
Friday, February 29, 2008 -

Furious flag-waving firefighters are condemning Stoughton as the “Most Unpatriotic Town in America” for nickel and diming a local Air National Guardsman half a world away in Iraq.

With hostilities at a flashpoint over what is owed Fire Capt. Doug Campbell, 45, while he’s on active duty, officials like Stoughton Veterans Agent Michael Pazyra are fighting back.

“I totally disagree with their statement,” Pazyra said. “It’s just wrong because it’s not true.”

Campbell’s brethren have been volunteering to cover his shifts since his deployment last month in order to keep his paychecks rolling in, but the town argues they wouldn’t have to if they’d drop demands that the divorced father of three also receive perks such as a dry-cleaning allowance and bonuses for not calling in sick.

“It literally makes me crazy,” said Peter Denneno, president of Stoughton Firefighters Local 1512. “I was told by the town, ‘You’re looking greedy.’ I’ll take greedy any day if it helps a guy who’s overseas protecting his country.”

Today at noon, town jakes and the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts will march on the VFW Hall at 837 Washington St. to rally support for Campbell, an 18-year veteran of the Stoughton Fire Department with a quarter-century’s service to the Guard.

A stone’s throw from the fire station where Campbell’s turnout coat still hangs, Town Manager Mark Stankiewicz called the inflammatory stunt “a punch in the face” to officials willing to go above and beyond for Campbell, despite facing a $1.2 million budget deficit in Fiscal year 2009.

Stankiewicz acknowledged Campbell is only getting paid when his shift is filled by another firefighter willing to forgo overtime. He is otherwise docked a vacation day. The manager explained that’s only because Campbell’s union refuses to sign off on the town’s offer to pay the approximately $15,914 difference between Campbell’s anticipated $47,086 in military pay if he’s deployed one year and his $63,000 base salary from the town, plus continued health coverage.

State law only mandates that public employees in the armed forces be paid their salaries minus their military pay and not be penalized any time benefits they’ve accrued such as vacation days.

Stankiewicz said firefighters want Campbell’s salary paid in full, his health care to continue and for him to receive more than $7,000 for such things as a clothing allowance, holiday pay and funds for firefighting equipment such as flashlights.

“They’re not Simon Legree, but they’re like a lot of streets in Boston: one way,” Stankiewicz said of firefighters.

Campbell’s sister, Debbie List, said her family is “a little disappointed” in Stoughton given that her brother “puts his life on the line for the town every day.”

“We’re very proud of what he’s doing in Iraq,” she said. “We appreciate the fire department’s support. They’ve been wonderful.”

lsweet@bostonherald.com

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Photos & Galleries

Photo by Patrick Whittemore

Stoughton firefighters hold up Doug Campbell’s turnout coat, above. In front are Pat Doherty and Ray Ward. In back are Lt. Greg Goldberg, Capt. Jim Bertram, Ian Kurtinitis and Capt. Scott Breen.