Photo By Staff Sgt. Scott Griffin | Nebraska Army National Guard Sgt. Brittany West is awarded the meritorious service...... read more read more
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SAN DIEGO – A Soldier from the Nebraska Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 376th Aviation Regiment received a significant award presented by Joint Task Force North’s top leaders on March 15, 2022.
Nebraska Army National Guard Sgt. Brittany West was awarded the meritorious service medal at a ceremony conducted by Company A, 1st Battalion, 376th Aviation Regiment at Campo Border Patrol Station in Pine Valley, California, on March 15, 2022. West – who is currently deployed to Joint Task Force North and assigned to Task Force Tomahawk in San Diego – was presented the award by JTFN Commander, Maj. Gen. Randall V. Simmons, and JTFN Senior Enlisted Leader Command Sgt. Maj. Kristopher L. Dyer. The Meritorious Service Medal is presented to the United States Armed Forces members who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States.
Being at the right place, at the right time, saved a life. While conducting personal physical training at Miramar Lake, Sgt. West saw a fellow Service Member collapse while running and immediately leaped to his aid. West, who works as an emergency room nurse in her civilian job, determined the Service Member was non-responsive and did not have a detectable pulse. West called 911 on her mobile phone and then began emergency life-saving measures. Witnesses to the event were amazed by West’s composure.
“When I came up to the scene, [Sgt. West] was over him doing chest compressions; she was giving directives to the people standing around and had total control,” said Sheila LaFleur, who witnessed the event. “She was SO, SO strong and brought a sense of command to the situation.”
West maintained control of the crowd while continuously providing CPR for the fallen Service Member for more than 20 minutes until an ambulance and first-responders arrived to take over.
The injured Service Member was transported by ambulance to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, where he arrived responsive and stable. The Service Member was released from the hospital on February 21 and continues weekly check-ups to monitor his health and progress.
When not working as an emergency room nurse, Sgt. West also serves as a refueler in the Nebraska Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 376th Aviation Regiment, which is currently deployed to California to support the Southwest border mission.
Joint Task Force North, as U.S. Northern Command’s lead, provides military support to the Department of Homeland Security, Customs, and Border Protection. The Department of Defense’s mission-enhancing support enables Customs and Border Protection to address security challenges and conduct their law enforcement mission more efficiently along the Southern border.
| Date Taken: | 03.22.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.22.2022 14:15 |
| Story ID: | 416934 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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