Family forged in fire: 36th CES siblings serve side by side

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jasmine Barnes, 36th Wing
  • 36 Wing PA
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  

For U.S. Air Force Senior Airmen Alyssa Lucas and Carter Lucas, firefighting is more than a career field — it’s a shared calling shaped by family, service and a lifetime of influence that brought them together at the 36th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department.

Alyssa, a 36th CES driver operator and crew chief, joined the U.S. Air Force in 2021 with firefighting as the goal.

“I knew that I was going to do firefighting either inside of the military or outside,” Alyssa said. “I chose the Air Force because I wanted to get my [aircraft rescue and firefighting, driver/operator pumper, and mobile water supply] certifications.”

Her younger brother, Carter, now a 36th CES driver operator, found his path through Alyssa as an example.

“Going into my senior year [of high school], I didn’t have a cemented plan,” Carter said. “I always liked the idea of firefighting, but visiting [Alyssa] while she was stationed at [Royal Air Force] Lakenheath really inspired me.”

The siblings grew up in Michigan, where their father, a U.S. Air Force veteran and volunteer firefighter, introduced them to the fire service. From community events to time spent at their local station, those experiences left a lasting impression.

“I wouldn’t be a firefighter if it wasn’t for [Dad],” Alyssa said. “He’s the gold standard to me.”

Although they joined separately, neither of them expected to serve together overseas until Alyssa received her assignment to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

“I honestly had my doubts,” Carter said. “What are the chances that we get the same job and the same base?”

Eight months later, Alyssa arrived on Guam as her second duty location, officially joining her brother in the same fire department and supervising him on the same fire truck.

“I have to boss him around sometimes,” Alyssa said. “… but he listens and takes it seriously, which sets a good example for the Airmen under him.”

While firefighters often describe their unit as a family, the Lucas siblings live that reality every day.

“We’re meant to be a family at the fire department,” she said. “We just actually are one.”

Serving together, they say, allows them to honor their upbringing while continuing a legacy of service built on commitment, professionalism and a shared passion for helping others.

“One of my favorite parts of firefighting is the commitment to the community,” Carter said. “It’s our job to be our best at somebody’s worst, and that’s something our dad taught us.”