Photo By Spc. Bowden Drake-Deese | First Army Division West Commanding General Maj. Gen. William Ryan pins the Soldier's...... read more read more
FORT CAVAZOS, Texas - Capt. Steven Drayton, the former Headquarters and Headquarters Company commander of 3-289th Training Support Battalion was awarded the prestigious Soldier’s Medal, July 3, 2024, during a ceremony at First Army Division West Headquarters, for stopping an armed robbery of a Killeen barber shop.
On Aug. 4, 2022, Drayton, a U.S. Army Reservist, was visiting a local barber shop outside of Fort Cavazos when an armed man barged into the establishment. The man pointed a pistol at Drayton, his 11-year-old son, the employees and patrons of the barber shop, demanding they give him money. Without hesitation, Drayton lept into action and charged at the armed man.
Drayton quickly overpowered the man and restrained him on the ground. He then removed the handgun and an additional pistol the perpetrator had hidden in his waistband, and detained the burglar until Killeen Policemen arrived and arrested him.
Proceeding the investigation conducted by the Killeen Police Department, it was noted that the man Drayton had disarmed and detained was the suspect of several other armed robberies throughout the previous two weeks.
Drayton’s quick actions saved the lives of all the patrons, employees and his child that day and helped make the community a safer place. His actions also show that regardless of duty status, all soldiers across the U.S. Army are prepared and ready for duty at all times.
As a result of his selfless and courageous act of putting himself in harm's way, Drayton received the Soldier’s Medal which was presented to him by First Army Division West Commanding General, Maj. Gen. William Ryan.
The Soldier’s Medal was established by an act of Congress in 1926. It is awarded to any person of the Armed Forces of the United States or of a friendly foreign nation who, while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, distinguished themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy.
It represents the same degree of heroism as that of the Distinguished Flying Cross. The Soldier’s action must have involved personal hazard or danger while voluntarily risking their own life.
During the ceremony, Drayton spoke about the other patrons of the barber shop, many of them were children, including his son. He thought about how they were enjoying the August afternoon and nobody deserved to be in harm's way that day.
He also spoke about how his military training helped him in the situation. Faced with an armed man in a peaceful environment, his extensive combat training enabled him to act appropriately in the stressful situation.
“As we were going through it I said to myself I know what to do, I’ve been trained to do this,” said Drayton proceeding the ceremony. “Just stay in control.”
Drayton was also very proud of his son’s quick actions for calling 9-1-1 as soon as his father had safely detained the burglar. At the end of the day Drayton was most happy with the fact that his story, or the stories of anyone else in that barber shop did not have a grim ending.
“It brings a smile to my face knowing that we are able to celebrate something that could have been really bad,” he continued. “But now we get to celebrate the positive.”
| Date Taken: | 07.03.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.03.2024 19:04 |
| Story ID: | 475587 |
| Location: | TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 325 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, “Bravery Beyond Duty”: U.S Army Reserve Soldier Thwarts Armed Robber, by SPC Bowden Drake-Deese, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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