STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. – Two Airmen from the New York Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing were recognized for saving their fellow Airmen’s lives at a Dec. 8 ceremony.
The 105th’s Top 3 Executive Team presented Staff Sgt. Timothy Horton and Capt. Sinead Kirnan with the Henry W. Windels Wingman Award for their selfless and decisive actions that helped save the lives of two wingmen. The incidents occurred outside of their military duties — Horton’s action took place during his civilian job as a police officer, and Kirnan’s in a situation where a friend was helping another friend.
Horton, a defender in the 105th Base Defense Group, responded to a 911 call in Warwick Aug. 19, 2023. Master Sgt. Roman Jeter, a 105th Air Maintenance Squadron maintainer, had gone into cardiac arrest at his home.
Horton took over cardiopulmonary resuscitation from Jeter’s wife and set up an automated external defibrillator to stabilize Jeter’s pulse while awaiting emergency medical services.
Horton followed Jeter to a local hospital, where he was airlifted to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern for further treatment. Horton helped the Air Evac team carry Jeter onto the helicopter.
“While I was performing CPR and AED actions, I was thinking about my training and performing to the best of my ability, relying on those around me as well,” said Horton. “Fortunately, that night everyone did a great job, making for a great outcome.”
Nearly a year later, on June 19, 2024, Kirnan, a pilot with the 137th Airlift Squadron, was helping Master Sgt. Jarnon Brown, a loadmaster with the 137th, move into his third-floor condo while recovering from a foot injury.
One of Brown’s crutches became caught in the stairway railing, causing him to lose his balance and stumble into the balcony railing. The railing gave way, and Brown fell three stories to the concrete sidewalk.
“I ran down to him, and he wasn’t talking, not responding, not moving,” said Kirnan. “He was lying on his stomach, and when I looked at his head, I saw he had a huge gash and was bleeding.”
Kirnan called 911, checked Brown’s pulse and tried to get his attention. When Brown regained consciousness, Kirnan kept him calm and still until EMS arrived.
EMS determined Brown needed to be airlifted to Westchester Medical Hospital in Valhalla. Not wanting him to be alone, Kirnan attempted to convince medical personnel that she was his wife and needed to accompany him. When she couldn’t answer their questions and was denied a seat in the helicopter, Kirnan quickly drove to the hospital to meet Brown, staying with him until his wife arrived.
“You don’t know how you are going to react in a situation like this,” Kirnan said. “But I’m just super thankful I was there to help, and he wasn’t by himself.”
For their actions, Horton and Kirnan were honored with the Henry W. Windels Wingman Award, a prestigious recognition within the 105th Airlift Wing.
The award was created in honor of Master Sgt. Henry Windels, an Airman with the 105th who donated a kidney to a fellow 105th Airman in 2016, saving his life. Windels was the first recipient of the award.