Story by Staff Sgt. Dalton Williams August 18, 2022 at 02:33AM A firefighter’s will power can’t be weak or prone to dissuasion–the opposite is needed. When the fire is blazing and people are running away, the strong-willed firefighter runs toward the danger. Determination fills their veins For one Air Force firefighter, this determination has been part of his DNA since childhood and was foundational to saving lives and shedding more than 90 pounds just so he could join. A firefighter with the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron and a guard member out of the 190th Air Refueling Wing at Forbes Field Air National Guard Base, Topeka, Kansas, it’s Staff Sgt. Nicholas Tafanelli’s determination and grit that recently led him to be recognized as one of the United Service Organization’s service members of the year. This award recognizes those who performed extraordinary acts of bravery that exemplify the values of the Armed Forces and the USO. Saving countless lives with his engine company as they answered call after call, Tafanelli responded to 318 emergencies, including 61 fires and 128 medical calls including motor vehicle accidents.
