Wingmen save fellow Airmen's life

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Sean P. Houlihan
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Repulic of Korea --  When Pacific Air Forces sent out guidance for all the pacific bases to have a Wingman Day no one could have thought that during the day three wingmen would come to the aid of another Airman saving his life. 

At approximately 8:40 a.m. Nov. 13 as the Wolf Pack was gathering in front of the fitness center for a commander's call by Col. CQ "Wolf" Brown, 8th Fighter Wing commander, Staff Sgt. Jamie Hogsett and Airman First Class Jordan Deese saw an Airman collapse about 10 feet away from them. Without hesitation the two came to the aid of the fallen Airman. 

"I was just talking with Sergeant Hogsett when I noticed the Airmen had fallen to the ground," said Airman Deese, a client service administrator (CSA) in the wing's inspector general's office. 

Without hesitation both Airman Deese and Sergeant Hogsett ran to the Airmen on the ground. 

"When we got to the Airmen he was already convulsing and had a rapid heart beat," said Sergeant Hogsett, a CSA for the 8th Fighter Wing command staff. "We knew we needed to turn him on his side to prevent him from choking." 

As Sergeant Hogsett and Airman Deese began to care for the Airman screams came across the crowd for medical help. It was the second call for help that got the attention of Master Sgt. Renard Barnes, 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron first sergeant. 

"I didn't see the Airman go down, I was just talking and heard people holler for medics so I handed off the guidon and went to help," said the first sergeant who spent 20-years in the medical career field. "When I got there Col. Rose Layman (8th Medical Group commander) had begun to assess the Airman. He was turning ash blue and had no pulse. We started cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and got the automated external defibrillator (AED) ready. After a few minutes of CPR we shocked him and then repeated CPR." 

As soon as Sergeant Barnes and Colonel Layman were on scene, Airman Deese and Sergeant Hogsett stepped away from the situation after making sure an ambulance was dispatched to the location and the crowd was moved out of the way. 

Within a couple of minutes of the incident Airmen from the 8th Medical Group were on scene providing oxygen to the Airman and began the process of transporting him to a local Gunsan City hospital. 

For Sergeant Barnes and Airman Deese this was not their first time responding to an incident of this nature. Airman Deese recalls seeing his grandfather in a similar situation and knew he was in distress and remembers the helpless feeling it gave him. Sergeant Barnes said he has performed CPR or critical care more times than he would like to recount. But this experience was different. 

"When you are a practicing medical technician and that is your job, you're in the mindset something could happen and normally it occurs in a controlled environment of a hospital," he said. "Now it is my duty to take care of the morale, welfare, discipline of the Airmen as a first sergeant. To be put in that situation it's a different mindset." 

The three Airmen don't see themselves as heroes or doing something that another Airman or good wingman wouldn't have done under the same situation. 

"Everyone has been thanking me and Col. Layman but these two individuals deserve credit as well, it was no one individual that made the difference it was a team effort and that is what the wingman concept is all about," said Sergeant Barnes. "I couldn't be more proud of how such junior Airmen conducted themselves in a calm and focused manner under serious circumstances." 

The Airman has been awake and responsive since the afternoon of the incident and all the Wolf Pack giving well wishes. 

One of those well wishes is 8th Fighter Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Brinkley. 

"If people do not think life is precious and that it can change in the blink of an eye, they were provided a visual reminder today," said the chief. "Within a matter of a couple seconds the life of a Wolf Pack Airmen changed forever but thanks to the quick reaction and training of our three courageous wingmen this Airman is on the road to recovery."
The chief said he expects the Airman to fully recover and resume his duties as a Wolf Pack Airman very soon. 

Today, thanks to the quick reaction of three good wingmen, a Wolf Pack Airman is recovering in a local Gunsan City hospital and a potentially bad news story has a happy ending.