Thank you to Vincent “Vinny” Ciuccoli for his service in the U.S. Marine Corps! Always wanting to serve in the military, Vinny joined the Marines in 1994.

“I heard the Marines are the toughest branch and I knew that was how I could do the most for my country,” he said.

Vinny was commissioned as an officer and became an assault helicopter pilot, retiring in 2024 as a Colonel. He served all over Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as Israel and numerous other countries. After returning to the U.S. from his last operational tour in Japan with his family, Vinny joined Centre Square Fire Company in 2022.

“It was my calling to come back to this area and command the Philadelphia NROTC Consortium and I also wanted to continue serving alongside other community members,” said Vinny. “The military and volunteer firefighting offer similar opportunities for teamwork and camaraderie. Like in the Marines, I’m with a tight group of selfless people who serve others with purpose and passion.”

Vinny’s favorite part of volunteering at Centre Square is the selfless men and women he serves alongside, from the leadership to junior firefighters, and they’re always eager to train him on new equipment and skills.

“If you’re new to the military or fire service, it’s about making every moment count, every relationship count,” said Vinny. “Get into the ring and make it count.”

Vinny currently works at Villanova University as the Associate Vice President for Cabrini Campus Operations.

To learn more about becoming a volunteer firefighter, visit www.CentreSquareFire.org.