Surprising A Lifesaver

Photo By Senior Master Sgt. William Gizara | SCHENECTADY, N.Y.., (June 5, 2020) - Members of the New York Air National Guard attend a surprise promotion call for SrA Samantha Post from the 107th Medical Group, stationed at Stratton Air National Guard Base in support of the NY National Guard response to COVID19, as she was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant in the New York Air National Guard. But the promotion wasn't the only total surprise to Amn Post. What made it even more special was that she was promoted by Major General Timothy LaBarge the Assistant Adjutant General and the Commander of the New York Air National Guard. The reason why the general wanted to be here was that Senior Airman, now Staff Sergeant Post, was on duty at the SUNY Albany COVID19 testing site this year, when an emergency happened and Sgt Post saved a man’s life.  

SCHENECTADY, NY, UNITED STATES

06.05.2020

Story by Senior Master Sgt. William Gizara 

109th Air Wing

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (June 5, 2020) – When Staff Sgt. Ann Post showed up for work at Stratton Air National Guard Base on Friday, June 5, she got surprised twice.
First, she was promoted to Staff Sergeant from Senior Airmen and then the person pinning her new rank on was Major General Timothy LaBarge, the commander of the New York Air National Guard.
Labarge insisted on promoting Post to staff sergeant himself so he could recognize her for her quick thinking on April 15th while working at one of 15 COVID-19 testing stations the New York National Guard is staffing across the state.
Post, a Aerospace Medical Technician and a member of the 107th Attack Wing’s 107th Medical Group, has been on duty at Stratton as part of the New York National Guard’s effort to help control the spread of COVID-19.
The 107th Attack Wing is based at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station in Niagara Falls. Post was assigned to the task force working out of Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia, because of her medical training.
Post is assigned as the unit leader for the military medical team working at the drive-thru testing station established at the Albany campus of the State University of New York.
On April 15th Post was on duty when one of the medical staffers told her that a men who was there for a COVID-19 test was ill.
“He was extremely short of breath and just wasn’t looking in the best shape,” she recalled.
“I decided to pull him aside out of traffic and tried to see if there was anything I could do to help him, “ she said. “Grabbing a health monitor and all my personal protective equipment I assessed the situation and acted immediately.”
“I listened to his lungs. It was apparent his body was not functioning at a normal rate,” she said.
She put the man on oxygen and called for the ambulance standing by at the site to take him to a hospital emergency room.
LaBarge heard about what Post had done, so he and Command Chief Master Sgt. Maureen Dooley, the New York Air National Guard command chief, decided they wanted to promote Post personnel to recognize her service.
“I’ve been in for 38 years and I can honestly say I don’t think I ever saved a life,” LaBarge told her. “But you can say after 4 years that you have saved a life. That’s a phenomenal thing.”
“I’m sure (the patient) is thankful. His family is thankful. And we are thankful for the way you presented not only yourself, by the New York Air National Guard,” LaBarge added.
When she was first asked to report to the base headquarters, she thought she was in trouble for some reason, Post recalled.
“It was a super surprise,” she said. “It was such an amazing experience.”

• Date Taken: 06.05.2020
• Date Posted: 06.07.2020 07:32
• Story ID: 371610
• Location: SCHENECTADY, NY, US