Posted on 07/28/2009 4:47:46 PM PDT by SandRat
7/28/2009 - JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFNS) -- Whether Joint Base Balad servicemembers have a wingman or a battle buddy, the ethos of helping a comrade in need arose during a basketball game here July 14.
Headed by their coach, Army Sgt.1st Class Anthony Jones of the 699th Maintenance Company, a basketball team compiled of Airmen and Soldiers aided their fellow team member, Army 1st Sgt. Eric Colvin of the 699th Maintenance Co., after he showed heart-attack symptoms during a game at the west side gym.
"I knew he had a heart attack years ago," Sergeant Jones said. "Actually, it was four years ago that day. When I saw him slumping over in the chair, I knew he wasn't just kidding around. I knew he was having another heart attack."
Sergeant Jones wasn't the only one to take notice to the first sergeant's collapse. Airman Jeffery McCarty of the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron and referee during the game, reacted immediately when Sergeant Colvin appeared to be choking.
"I ran to get a phone to call for help and was yelling that we needed a medic," he said. "The (third-country national) working at the gym found a phone and I dialed 911.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Hartley of the 582th Sustainment Brigade, Staff Sgt. Cedric Hughes of the 532nd ESFS, and Sergeant Jones attempted to keep Sergeant Colvin alert. His breathing became increasingly labored, and his condition worsened.
"We knew things were going badly when his hands started to curl and his jaw locked," Sergeant Jones said. "A nurse, who was working out in the gym at the time, as well as a few combat-medic trained Soldiers in the area, arrived and began (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)."
Realizing the urgency of the situation, Sergeant Hughes left the gymnasium hoping to find help from someone at the outdoor pool, approximately one-quarter mile away from the basketball court. There he found lifeguard and aquatics coordinator, Andrea Walters.
"We were doing some training with our senior lifeguard instructor when Sergeant Hughes ran up to the pool and got our attention," Miss Walters said. "Two other lifeguards and I followed him to the basketball court where there was a crowd of people gathered. They parted like the Red Sea when they saw us run in."
She found Sergeant Colvin lying on his back on the floor and began assisting with rescue breathing, attempting to bring life back to his body. After multiple rounds of CPR in conjunction with the automatic external defibrillator -- there was still no pulse
"I started reciting Psalm 23 in his ear and told him to keep fighting," she said. "I could hear everyone praying around us. God was our autopilot that day."
Eventually, medics arrived and stabilized Sergeant Colvin, who was flown to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. He is now at the Warrior Transition Unit at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
"I just talked to him on the phone," Sergeant Jones said with a smile. "He's doing great and resting up, but he expressed that he wants to come back (to Joint Base Balad). He is a Solider -- he wants to come back to the fight."
ping!
admirable sentiment on the part of the 1st SGT to want to go back to Iraq, but wouldn’t this be grounds for a medical discharge?
ping hey did you see this
I’ve seen it now! Great story.
Medical eval will determine.
A heart attack at age 40 led to my dad, a USAF 0-5, retiring.
I wasn’t at the gym when it happened, but I was walking past the gym and outdoor pool on my way to the BX here when it happened. I heard the sirens and slowed down. They pulled in near the outdoor pool entrance. I saw them getting a litter out so I figured it was something serious.
In the story they mention SSgt Hughes, I know him. He’s our S4 (one of our supply guys here). I asked him for .50 cal test fire ammo not long ago, lol.
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