Photo By Staff Sgt. Brianna Rodriguez | U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Lila Chapman and U.S. Sgts. 1st Class Alan Haney, Xitaly Pena, and...... read more read more
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A pedestrian was severely injured after being struck by a vehicle in a crosswalk, prompting a rapid response from emergency personnel, including Xitlaly Pena, a combat medic with the Arkansas National Guard. Pena, a member of the 2nd Battalion, 142 Field Artillery Brigade, was among the first to respond when the call came over the radio reporting that a pedestrian had been hit by a car. The incident marked her first real-world trauma response of this severity. “I was kind of nervous,” Pena said. “The only information that I had was that a pedestrian was hit by a car. Compared to the other calls while here, that was the only instance I've had a trauma.” Despite the initial nerves, Pena said her training quickly took over upon arrival at the scene. “I would say that more of the basics kicked in when I got on scene. AVPU and MARCH being the first,” she explained, referring to the military’s primary trauma assessment protocols used to evaluate consciousness and prioritize life-threatening injuries. As she assessed the patient, Pena provided critical life-saving interventions. While she is proud of her response, she remains focused on improving her skills. “There are always things that I could've done better,” she said. “I did a visual inspection of her head and couldn't find the wound due to their hair. I probably should've tried moving it to get a better look before putting gauze on it. That's why I usually review most of my interactions with my senior medic to go over things.” Pena credited her team for their swift and coordinated response. She was working alongside the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) when the call came through. “Their radio response was fast and we got on scene pretty quickly,” she said. “They pulled security and were able to direct traffic due to the road being blocked off.” Pena said her combat medic training played a significant role in preparing her for the high-pressure situation. For newer medics who may face their first real-world emergency, Pena offered simple but powerful advice: “Just remember the basics if you get nervous like me AVPU, MARCH, and repeat.”
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.02.2026 08:48 |
| Story ID: | 559185 |
| Location: | DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Hometown: | SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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