By Gene Rector
Telegraph Staff Writer
(Courtesy The Macon Telegraph)

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE - Three 116th Air Control Wing airmen were recognized Wednesday for going beyond the call of duty in assisting with off-base vehicle accidents.

Warner Robins Mayor Donald Walker officiated at a brief on-base ceremony, saying he had great respect for the airmen and what they did.

"They didn't seek recognition, but they deserve it," Walker said. "They're part of the community."

The 116th, a blended wing of Georgia Air National Guard and active duty airmen, is the Air Force's only Joint STARS ground surveillance unit.

Staff Sgt. John Wright was credited with saving the life of a pregnant Perry woman whose lower arm was severed in a July 7 accident on Ga. 247. Wright was returning home after his night shift in the 116th Maintenance Squadron and arrived on the scene immediately after the accident occurred.

"He found the woman on the side of the road and noticed that her arm was missing," said Walker. "He used his belt for a tourniquet, stopped the bleeding and got some ice from a nearby home. No doubt she and her baby are alive today because of what he did."

Wright was not available for comment after the ceremony, but a Robins Air Force Base news release described his actions. He not only administered aid to the injured woman but found the missing limb and used the ice and a bag to protect it until emergency crews arrived. The arm was reattached, but later had to be amputated.

"All my training in self aid and buddy care flashed before me," Wright stated in the release. "I had to stay calm. If you panic, nothing gets done. I was there to help. If I see someone broken down or hurt, I stop. I would hope someone would do the same for me."

Walker presented Wright with a history of Warner Robins and a key to the city. The mayor said the key was one of the highest honors the city can give. "It opens many doors, but it's also the key to our heart," he said.

Senior Airmen Joe Ciancio and Charles Simpson were recognized for assisting local law enforcement with a massive traffic control problem following a July 18 fatal accident on Interstate 75. The airmen, both members of the 116th Security Forces Squadron, were returning home from weekend duty at Robins.

"There were a few hundred cars backed up," said Ciancio. "I saw a couple people from the Peach County Sheriff's Office and I asked if they needed help. They said, 'Yes.' Airman Simpson saw me, came over and assisted as well."

In a July 20 letter to Brig. Gen. Tom Lynn, 116th commander, Peach County Sheriff Johnnie Becham wrote that Ciancio and Simpson "spent nearly five hours helping to direct traffic off the interstate and providing the detour route to motorists. They were instrumental in keeping the situation in order."

Simpson described the situation as crazy. "All the lanes were packed. People were going into the emergency lanes," he said. "We just did what we thought was right."

Walker presented the two airmen with a Warner Robins history.

"They provided service to the community well beyond the call of duty," he said. "They didn't have to do what they did, but they did it because they're great Americans."