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Airman/Soldiers receive medals for lifesaving response

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Burke Baker
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Squadron Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Three Soldiers and one Airman assigned to the 387th Air Expeditionary Squadron received the Army Achievement Medal on Jan. 28 during a ceremony honoring them for exceptional achievement as first responders to a vehicle accident.

Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Derrick, Army Corporals Jessie Zawatski and Michael Fritz, and Air Force Senior Airman Matthew Knopf were driving off-base on Jan. 22 enroute to another military installation when they spotted an overturned pickup truck carrying four U.S. Army personnel.

Knopf, a health services management technician deployed from the 628th Medical Support Squadron, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., and his team of responders immediately assessed the situation.

"All of the windows in the vehicle had been shattered and the vehicle was clearly no longer operable," he said. "Once I got up to the vehicle, I did a quick assessment of the casualties and came to the conclusion that the victim in the rear driver's side seat was the most critical. I decided I was going to focus my attention on her."

The injured Soldier was unconscious and bleeding as Knopf performed an initial triage. She became mildly conscious during his assessment and complained of leg, arm, neck and stomach pain.

Knopf and his team performed first-aid to the victims and secured the scene.

"I didn't want to move [the private] because I was unsure of the extent of her injuries," he said. "I tried to make her as comfortable as possible, so I gave her my top to use as a blanket and found a military bag in their truck, I used that as a pillow to support her neck. I monitored her pulse and made sure she wasn't choking on her spit up."

A local ambulance arrived a short time later. Knopf and his team assisted the paramedics with additional first aid until a medical evacuation helicopter arrived.

"We then took her to the ambulance and provided first aid by giving her oxygen and cleaning her face of debris," he said. "I removed the boot from her left foot and stabilized her foot with wraps. I waited in the ambulance with her until the medevac arrived".

The four Soldiers, members of the U.S. Army's 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, were treated for their injuries and later released at a nearby U.S. military hospital.

The decoration citation states the 387th AES members' quick thinking and selfless contributions were instrumental in preventing further injury to the four Soldiers.

The 387th Air Expeditionary Squadron was activated in October and acts as U.S. Central Command's primary unit for U.S. Customs inspections for all Department of Defense personnel and equipment destined for the U.S. Since there is not a specific military occupational specialty for customs inspection, the unit's members are from both the U.S. Army and Air Force, and include a wide variety of specialties.

Chief Master Sgt. George Role, Chief Enlisted Manager for the joint squadron, credits pre-deployment training as being an important factor in the incident outcome.

"When we prepare to deploy as service members; we are required to be up to date on the Self Aid and Buddy Care computer-based and hands-on training, " said Role.  "Although one hopes never to have to use the things learned; it is good to see that, when called to action, our squadron members were able to recall the training and put it to practical use. This is why we complete this training. These 387 AES Airman and Soldiers have made me very proud to be a member of this diverse squadron."