Photo By Capt. Patrick Montandon | Sgt. Anthony Faso's and his wife Anna attend a recognition ceremony in Winterville,...... read more read more
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WINTERVILLE, NC – Staff Sgt. Anthony Faso thought he was coming into a typical day of drill duty March 17, 2023, for the North Carolina National Guard (NCNG). He was focused on the tasks at hand and looking forward to an evening with his wife to celebrate their first date anniversary. Things changed quickly as he found himself providing emergency medical care for a fellow Soldier. Faso’s quick response made all the difference in saving his colleague’s life.
Staff Sgt. Jonathan Tate, from the Recruiting and Retention Battalion, found a colleague in an office at the armory unresponsive and quickly notified Faso for assistance. Tate knew of Faso’s additional training as a school teacher and lifeguard. Faso sprang into action to ensure 911 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were notified and started administering CPR to include utilizing an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
1st Lt. Garrett Garcia, an active-duty Army recruiter on the scene, recalled, “I’ve never seen anybody take over something and command everything.” Faso doesn’t remember all the details, but Garcia described how Faso was apparently “barking orders” to keep things going until additional help arrived.
“It gets kind of hazy. I’m not sure how long it was until the ambulance got there… I was in the zone trying to get him revived,” said Faso. He continued compressions until EMS arrived and relieved him from conducting CPR. They ensured Faso was okay after expending so much energy.
“My adrenaline was pretty much going until about 10 or 11 o’clock that night…that’ when it hit me. I was pretty sore from that.”
Faso, a Jacksonville, NC native and an East Carolina University graduate, lives in Greenville, and has been part of the guard since 2007. He is currently assigned as a supply sergeant for the 514th Military Police Company, 109th Military Police Battalion, 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade located in Winterville, NC. Faso is married and has a son.
Faso’s mother and stepfather served in the Navy and Marine Corps, respectively, with over 50 cumulative years of military service. Their influence on their son played a large role in the situation. Faso reflected on who prepared him for this moment.
“My dad. He was trying to train me to join the Marine Corps, so when he did my lifeguard training, my CPR training, he always gave me the worst scenarios and held me to a higher standard,” said Faso. “That’s what prepared me.”
Leaders from Winterville Emergency Management Services presented Faso with a certificate and a coin recognizing his heroic efforts. Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Copeland, NCNG's Deputy of Joint Staff presented him with the North Carolina Soldier's and Airman's Medal. This medal, awarded through The Adjutant General's office, is the highest award a Guardsman can receive from the state. Faso was humble in receiving the acknowledgement.
“I don’t need the recognition to know what I did,” said Faso. “Be prepared for anything that comes because life throws you curveballs. That morning I was not expecting to do what I did, but you have to adapt and overcome.”
Faso did what was necessary to save his fellow Soldier, and his actions exemplify the Soldier’s creed to never leave a fallen comrade. Despite the urgency of the situation, Faso’s mind flashed to the importance of family, and he thought about his colleague’s son.
“I’ve got to make sure this Soldier gets back to his family,” said Faso. “I was calling out to him, ‘I need you to come back.’”
Thanks to Faso’s decisive action, his friend did come back.
He is back with his family.
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 05.08.2023 09:10 |
| Story ID: | 444123 |
| Location: | WINTERVILLE, NC, US |
| Hometown: | GREENVILLE, NC, US |
| Hometown: | JACKSONVILLE, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 545 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, It's a Good Day to Save a Life, by CPT Patrick Montandon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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