Photo By Matt Roe | Roger Arnold (left) and Kyle Christy, both Deployable Tactical Operations System...... read more read more
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While on one emergency response mission, two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees found themselves in the middle of another.
Kyle Christy and Roger Arnold, both Deployable Tactical Operations System (DTOS) operators with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District, were conducting a routine fuel run when their quick thinking and reactions may have saved someone’s life.
Christy and Arnold, deployed to Camp McCain, MS, in response to the 2026 Winter Storm, noticed a vehicle had rolled off the road from Nat G. Troutt Road near Interstate 55 in the early afternoon on Jan. 29. Slowing down for a closer inspection they noticed a man lying motionless on the ground near the vehicle, in conditions well below freezing, about 15 degrees.
“It looked like the car had just rolled off the road,” said Arnold. “There were not any skid marks or signs of a crash. We don’t know how long he’d been out there, but we had to stop and check on him.”
Christy and Arnold immediately stopped their truck to check the vehicle for other passengers, believing the person on the ground may have been seriously hurt or even deceased.
“Kyle went out and asked him if he was ok,” said Arnold, “but there was no response. That’s when he went to the car to see if anyone else was in there.”
No other passengers were in the stopped vehicle, however the man on the ground, who appeared in his mid-30s, was no longer motionless and had started making noises. Arnold and Christy immediately returned to the man and began assessing his condition.
Now responsive, the man indicated he suffered from pain in his neck and back.
Recognizing the risk of serious injury and the dangers posed by freezing temperatures, Christy and Arnold advised the individual not to move and remained with him while emergency assistance was requested.
“I was going to the truck when I saw another car coming down the road,” Christy said.
Flagging down the car, Christy, Arnold and the injured civilian caught a lucky break. The driver who stopped happened to be a volunteer firefighter who was then able to call for assistance from local first responders. So as not to be in the way of the inbound first responders, and with the volunteer firefighter on the scene to care for the man, Christy and Arnold resumed their ongoing support of the 2026 Winter Storm.
“I’m incredibly proud of this team, not only are they part of an active response to provide temporary emergency power to the residents of northwest Mississippi, but they were also able to help individual who was in need of serious assistance,” said Lt. Col. Vannessa Bowman, USACE Power Mission commander, Camp McCain.
“The bravery and selfless service of these U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees represent the very best of America,” said Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. “Our civil servants put the safety and well-being of a fellow American above all else by acting decisively in the moment to save a human life, and I couldn’t be more proud.”
“In that moment, they responded to the injured person and cared for him until first responders were on the scene,” added Bowman, who normally serves as the deputy commander of the Savannah District. “With the injuries and weather conditions that day, the person was in a dire situation. Roger and Kyle truly are heroes.”
The awareness and selfless actions of Christy and Arnold helped prevent further injury of the individual, who was at significant risk of hypothermia, by staying with the man until first responders were able to take over care.
“Our number one priority is the life, health, and safety of all who are affected by this winter storm,” said Col. Jeremiah Gipson, commander, Vicksburg District. “During emergencies, we are here when called upon…before, during and after disasters strike. And in this case, Kyle and Roger were in the right place at the right time to be of immediate assistance for an individual who needed help. That’s what emergency response is all about. The entire Vicksburg District and I are incredibly proud of them.”
“We didn’t do anything that anyone else would not have done,” said Christy, who normally works at the Columbia Lock and Dam on the Ouachita River as an equipment mechanic supervisor. Christy, a resident of Columbia, LA, has 21-years of service with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District.
“It was just the right thing to do,” added Arnold, who has worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District for 10 years as an electrician. Not a native of Vicksburg, but Arnold has lived there since the second grade. Additionally, Arnold has a background as a safety coordinator.
Arnold and Christy are part of the more than 300 USACE personnel who are deployed to Mississippi in response to the 2026 Winter Storm. They are assigned to the Task Force Temporary Emergency Power at Camp McCain, which has installed 27 generators across northwest Mississippi.
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 02.06.2026 09:58 |
| Story ID: | 557594 |
| Location: | GRENADA, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, USACE employees rescue Mississippi motorist during winter storm response, by Matt Roe, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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