Army Sgt. Ernesto Lopez, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, receives the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal in late October from Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group Forward Hotel Navy Cmdr. James Beardley for providing care and assistance to three sailors involved in a rollover accident along one of Kuwait's highways in late August. The driver swerved to avoid two oncoming semi-trucks causing their sport utility vehicle to roll several times, said Lopez. The crash caused injuries to all of the occupants to include contusions from the seatbelts, mild concussions and lacerations. Lopez and his driver, Pvt. Morgan Benton, had a combat lifesaver bag full of medical bandages and were able to bandage the sailors and arrange for an air medical evacuation to a local U.S. Navy hospital in Kuwait.
Benton rendered aid to Petty Officer 2nd Class Lonzo Ward and Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Sander while Lopez focused his attention on the the driver, Petty Officer 2nd Class Ian Andrew with a bleeding laceration to the head. Lopez cleaned the wound and applied bandages to stop the bleeding.
Lopez examined the overturned vehicle and debris field and secured all the weapons, ammunition and electronic communication devices. Benton continued to contribute to the safety of the scene until authorities arrived by placing traffic control devices at the crash site.
Benton and Lopez are both members of the 4th Sustainment Brigade out of Fort Hood, Texas and are temporarily assigned to Task Force Gator, 311th Sustainment Command while deployed – a small group of service members responsible for the care and movement of coalition members heading to and from Iraq and Afghanistan.
"All I've got to say is, it was a good thing they were wearing their seatbelts," said Lopez.
The Navy's NAVELSG Forward Hotel detachment executes a two-fold mission: to ensure returning military equipment conforms to U.S. Department of Agriculture standards; and ensure all gear returning with personnel serving abroad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, complies with U.S. Customs regulations.
| Date Taken: | 10.20.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 08.23.2011 14:38 |
| Photo ID: | 123561 |
| VIRIN: | 081021-A-9901M-004 |
| Resolution: | 2464x1632 |
| Size: | 1.75 MB |
| Location: | CAMP BUEHRING, KW |
| Web Views: | 322 |
| Downloads: | 60 |
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