Story by 1st Lt. Heather Cozad Staley June 29, 2026 at 07:00PM In the fire service, there are two distinct worlds. On the military side, the focus is heavily on prevention, ensuring that disasters on the flightline or in structural buildings never happen in the first place. On the civilian side, firefighters operate in a world of daily unpredictability and chaos.
For Master Sgt. Kora Nan, a 446th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, living in both worlds is exactly what makes him an invaluable asset.
As a civilian firefighter with the South King Fire, Nan faces constant, high-stress emergencies. As an Air Force Reserve member, he brings the hard-earned adaptability and resilience from those civilian streets straight to his military team. His breadth of experience brings a unique, operational strength that elevates the readiness of his entire flight.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/568951/bridging-flames-one-reserve-firefighter-brings-civilian-grit-flightline"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2606/9778645/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Bridging the flames: How one Reserve firefighter brings civilian grit to the flightline" /></a>
