Photo By Robert Timmons | Harker Heights, Texas, native Col. Ricky D. Gibbs, commander of the 4th Infantry...... read more read more
By Pfc. Nathaniel Smith
4th BCT, 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs
BAGHDAD – An Airman attached to the 4th Brigade Combat Team was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with a "V" device for valor, June 8, for his actions that led to the saving of a Soldier's life.
Special Agent Travis Guthmiller, a member of Weapons Intelligence Team 10 of Task Force Troy from Jamestown, N.D., was responding to a weapons cache-finding in the Doura region of southern Baghdad on April 1 when the rear vehicle of his convoy was struck by an improvised explosive device.
The deep-buried IED blasted off the front end of the Humvee, ejecting the gunner from his turret and dropping the truck into the crater.
When the dust settled and Guthmiller could assess the damage, doing his job was the only thing on his mind.
"I was kind of just on auto-pilot," he said. "You had to do what you had to do while you're out there and make sure it got done."
Guthmiller did what he had to and more. After sweeping the area for secondary IED's, the airman brought the lead vehicle closer to the blast site for extra security.
When that extra security was established, Guthmiller, who is combat lifesaver qualified, assisted the medics however he could. After bringing a litter from the explosive ordnance disposal truck and loading it, the convoy took off for the hospital.
On the way to the hospital, Guthmiller continued to go beyond his responsibilities by keeping the injured gunner's head still and insuring he could breathe normally.
The airman said the gravity of the situation didn't fully sink in until the next day when he had time to think.
"I was kind of just thinking the next day, 'That could have broken out into some crazy fighting. That could have been pretty hairy,'" he said.
First Lt. Brett Gillet, a platoon leader with the 47th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company from Killeen, Texas, said Guthmiller's combination of situational awareness and action caught his eye.
"Anybody can react and say, 'Okay, let's go to the scene,' but he went to the scene, looked around at security, and noticed security wasn't as good as it could be," Gillet said. "He looked when he was in the truck and recognized that he was in the best position to help instead of just sitting there and saying, 'Okay, medic, you do your job, and I'll do my job.' There wasn't any hesitation."
Guthmiller, who is attached to Task Force Troy out of Minot Air Force Base, S.D., said receiving an award from a service aside from his own was a special feeling.
"It felt really good. I was surprised a little bit, but it's cool to be an Air Force guy getting an Army award."
Gillet said Guthmiller's actions were worthy of his new decoration.
"If you asked (him), he'd say he's just doing his job," he said. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but it's still saving a guy's life, and it's a pretty award-winning thing."
Despite receiving the recognition, the Airman, who has been working with joint service units since August 2006 and been at Forward Operating Base Falcon since January, passed credit onto everybody who was at the site that day.
"That was a really good, concerted effort by everybody that was out there," he said. "I got a medal for what I did, but the guys out there, everybody just came together. It was really cool."
| Date Taken: | 07.09.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 07.09.2007 08:18 |
| Story ID: | 11169 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 191 |
| Downloads: | 136 |
This work, Airman Flies to Soldier's Aid, Gets Valor Award, by SSG Nathaniel Smith, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT