An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | May 18, 2017

Colorado Air National Guard Airmen team up to save a life

By Maj. Kinder Blacke Colorado National Guard

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — For one young man, it may have been a lucky day when he got into a serious car accident May 9 just outside Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colorado.

Seven members of the Colorado Air National Guard 140th Wing Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight conducting training on the east side of the base witnessed the accident and immediately ran to assist.

"We were over the fence within 30 seconds," U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Rich, chief of resources and EOD operator, said.

Rich and six other members – U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Dick Gibbons, the flight chief, and U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Dustin Frey, Staff Sgt. Darrell Linkus, Staff Sgt. Brandon Ulmer, Senior Airman Tom Benedict and Senior Airman Rosen Lima, all EOD operators – jumped the BAFB perimeter fence and ran to the scene of the accident.

"Everyone just kind of knew their role," Benedict said. "We did what we knew we could do best to contribute."

Benedict immediately called 911 and brought his battlefield first aid kit to the scene of the accident.

EOD members receive military training in basic first aid.

Linkus, an emergency medical technician and firefighter, and Rich, a former police officer who trained as an emergency first responder, immediately went to help the more seriously injured individual.

"Witnessing the accident, I knew the person in the vehicle that was struck multiple times was in bad shape," Rich said. "He was very pale and not breathing when we got to him."

Rich, Linkus and Frey worked together to carefully extract the young man from the vehicle, establish an airway with a nasal pharyngeal unit, and provided follow-on care until the Aurora Fire Department and ambulances arrived a few minutes later.

"While still unconscious, he was making visible progress as soon as we started working on him," Rich said.

While the three Airmen tended to the most injured individual, the others worked to direct traffic away from the scene and facilitate the arrival of emergency responders.

"It was an interesting dynamic to watch each member of the team find a way to contribute," Benedict said. "Nobody needed to be in charge; we all just found a role and filled it."

The EOD team members said that they are used to high stress environments.

"We get really good trauma training so when the worst happens, our response is automatic: step one; step two; step three; it's second nature," Rich said.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of the 140th Wing EOD team., their quick response and close proximity to the scene, the patient was alive when civilian medical service personnel took over.

"The team reacted exactly as I'd expect and hoped they would," Gibbons said. "We just hope the patient will pull through."

 

 

Related Articles
Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of Louisiana, discusses briefing details with Col. Augusto Villalaz, director of the Joint Staff for the Louisiana National Guard, during the annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 21, 2025. The drill helps synchronize plans and strengthen coordination across LANG’s senior leadership ahead of hurricane season.
Louisiana Guard Rehearses Emergency Plans for Hurricane Season
By Capt. Peter Drasutis, | May 28, 2025
NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana National Guard conducted its annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge May 21, uniting key personnel across multiple commands to refine...

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, New Hampshire Army National Guard, sling load a reduced range practice rocket to a Moroccan CH-47 Chinook during a multinational sling load operation at African Lion 2025 (AL25), May 17, 2025, in TanTan, Morocco. AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF,) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations - preparing forces to deploy, fight, and win.
New Hampshire Guard Teams with Morocco for Sling Load Training at African Lion 2025
By Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Forester, | May 28, 2025
TAN TAN, Morocco – Soldiers assigned to the 744th Forward Support Company (744TH FSC), 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, New Hampshire Army National Guard partnered with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR), for...

From left, Sgt. Edward Acda, Lt. Col. Vern Perez, Sgt. 1st Class Celine Taitano, Capt. Ryan Arellano, Staff Sgt. Jovencio Mortera, and Sgt. Avery Tyquiengco of the Guam National Guard participate in Balikatan Cyber Defense Exercise, Manila, April 27, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the U.S. and Philippine armed forces designed to strengthen the alliance, showcase the capable combined force, and demonstrate the commitment to regional security and stability. (Courtesy asset)
Guam Guard Participates in Balikatan 2025 Cyber Defense Exercise
By Mark Scott, | May 28, 2025
MANILA, Philippines – A team of cyber professionals and an intelligence analyst from the Guam National Guard attended Balikatan 2025, participating in the three-week Cyber Defense Exercise alongside teams from various...