Subscribe
PANAMA- On August 13th, 2025, Staff Sgt. Richard Ekman and Sgt. Nathan Scott, Advisors from 1st Battalion, 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade, noticed the aftermath of a car accident while returning to their team house from a routine mission at the Cerro Tigre range in Panama. Upon noticing a victim, under a destroyed car, covered in blood, the Advisors pulled over and began providing aid to the injured man.
Reflecting on the moment, Ekman recalled “It was weird, because normally there isn’t a lot of traffic on this road. We saw what looked like a head-on collision and a bloody man on the ground. That’s when I asked my medic [Sgt. Scott] what we should do, and we decided to help.”
When they got to the car accident, Sgt. Scott immediately went to work, stopping the bleeding and splinting the man’s neck. Ekman continued to talk to the man, keeping him calm and composed. Ekman then worked with the local emergency services when they arrived, speaking through the man’s wife, who acted as an interpreter. The Panamanian medics noted it was lucky the Americans stopped by, and that Scott did an excellent job.
“My main concern was stopping the bleeding because he was covered in blood. I then worried about his neck, and making sure he wasn’t paralyzed.” Said Scott. “In the moment, I was just concerned that he got the best care in the scenario, just trying to provide the most care as quickly as possible. I felt a sense of accomplishment but mostly just happy that I was in the right place at the right time to help.”
Maj. Richard Chapman, Sgt. Scott and Staff Sgt. Ekman’s team leader from 6th Battalion, 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade, said “I’m extremely proud of these two Advisors for taking it upon themselves and using their skills to help those in need. Their actions exemplify the moral strength and personal values of outstanding non-commissioned officers.”
Staff Sgt. Ekman and Sgt. Scott were recently awarded the Army Commendation Medal by Secretary of the Army, Daniel Driscoll in Panama City, Panama at the U.S. Embassy to Panama.
Advisors assigned to 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade partner with, cooperate with, and work alongside partner nation forces across Central and South America. Additionally, Advisors serve as the liaison between partner nation forces and other U.S. Government entities.
| Date Taken: | 09.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.22.2025 11:42 |
| Story ID: | 548915 |
| Location: | PA |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Good Samaritan Advisors Step In to Help, by CPT William Romine, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
