WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – One veteran in Wichita believes his time protecting others is not over yet.
Chris Anders spent eight years in the Navy, from jumping out of airplanes to deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A decade after coming home, he said, he couldn’t shake his itch to get back out and help others, so he submitted his application to become a Wichita firefighter.
Fuel to an old flame.
“That burning need, that itch that you just want to help others,” said Anders.
US Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Veteran Chris Anders came home from Afghanistan in 2013. He moved to Wichita to work at McConnell Air Force Base earlier this year and said he’s trying to find his next chapter.
“It’s less about yourself and more about the community, more about this country, and it’s just what can you do for other people,” said Anders.
He said he missed the comradery he felt in the service and was eager to join the Wichita Fire Department for the same bond. Anders has been training for months and said being in his late 40s will not stop him.