Sergeant Andrew J. Kehl

As an alumni of La Quinta High School’s Medical Health Academy (’03), Andrew Kehl set his sights on using his new medical knowledge to help others. Deliberately enlisting in the U.S. Air Force as a firefighter, he finished his emergency medical technician (EMT) credential and responded to over 400 medical emergencies where his skills were constantly put to the test.

In 2005, his passion for medical services led him to be a credentialed instructor, where he taught multiple courses ranging from basic life support to nationally registered EMT. His dedication to the medical profession brought many opportunities which he feels were directly influenced by his tenure in the academy back at La Quinta High.

Today, Master Sergeant Andrew J. Kehl is the assistant fire chief for operations assigned to Spangdahlem Air Base fire department in Western Germany. He is responsible for training and developing 73 firefighters and is the installation incident commander on emergencies involving 1,600 facilities and 10,000 personnel, as well as aircraft, hazardous materials and rescue situations.

Since graduating, his experience has included duties as driver/operator, crew chief, station captain, NCOIC of emergency dispatch center, NCOIC of fire training, assistant chief of operations, assistant chief of prevention, assistant chief of readiness and logistics, assistant chief of health and safety, and wing process manager for AFSO21. With a passion for innovation and process improvement, Sergeant Kehl applied and was accepted as the wing process manager for the wing commander, impacting teams across the installation and ultimately saving his air base $18M and 145K man-hours.

Sergeant Kehl’s vast breadth of professional and medical experience has been a key factor to his continued success, earning him Air Force level recognition, as well as allowing him to finish his graduate degree in organizational leadership. His assignments include bases in Germany, Japan and Nevada and he has deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Inherent Resolve.

Sergeant Kehl has recently written a book called My Rich Uncle: An Informal Guide to Maximizing Your Enlistment to help others on their journey coming up through the ranks, from leveraging a military paycheck to leadership. For every purchased book on Amazon, Sergeant Kehl is giving one to a new airman.

We are proud of Sergeant Kehl and the work of all valley medical health academies in helping to prepare students for careers in the medical profession.

For additional information on the LQHS Medical Health Academy, please contact [email protected] (760) 772.4150 ext. 25705.