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Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Caleb Mathena, Security Forces Assistance Brigade assistant team leader, holds his Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) commander’s coin at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, March 12, 2021. Mathena and six members of the SFAB were presented with commanders’ coins because of their immediate, lifesaving, medical response to a vehicle accident March 7, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Morgan L. Brown)
Photo by: Senior Airman Morgan Brown
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Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
Staff Sgt. Andres Sanchez, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Security Forces Assistance Brigade (SFAB) fires advisor, stands with his team members during a coining ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, March 12, 2021. Sanchez and six of his fellow team members were presented with commanders coins because of their immediate, lifesaving, medical response to a vehicle accident March 7, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Morgan L. Brown)
Photo by: Senior Airman Morgan Brown
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Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
Staff Sgt. Alyssa Aragon, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Security Forces Assistance Brigade signal advisor, bumps forearms with U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Lapthe Flora, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) commanding general, during a coining ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, March 12, 2021. Aragon and six members of her team saved the lives of four Battalion d’Intervention Rapide (B.I.R.) soldiers involved in a vehicle accident March 7, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Morgan L. Brown)
Photo by: Senior Airman Morgan Brown
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Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Lapthe Flora, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) commanding general, speaks to members of the 2nd Security Forces Assistance Brigade (SFAB) during a coining ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, March 12, 2021. The SFAB consists of specialized units with the core mission to conduct training, advising, assisting, and accompanying operations with allied and partner nations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Morgan L. Brown)
Photo by: Senior Airman Morgan Brown
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Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
Seven U.S. Army soldiers assigned to Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Security Forces Assistance Brigade (SFAB), Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) stand for a photo after their coining ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, March 12, 2021. The SFAB soldiers were recognized by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Lapthe Flora, CJTF-HOA commanding general, for their immediate, lifesaving, response to a vehicle accident March 7, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Morgan L. Brown)
Photo by: Senior Airman Morgan Brown
CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti, March 12, 2021 – Seven U.S. Army Soldiers, assigned to Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Security Forces Assistance Brigade (SFAB), were presented command coins by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Lapthe Flora, the commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), in recognition of their life saving actions March 7, 2021.
While deployed to Djibouti, U.S. Army Staff Sgts. Samuel Hopton, a fires advisor, and James Heroux, an operations advisor, witnessed a vehicle accident and immediately responded to the injured.
The two immediately called for other unit members to assist. Sgts. 1st Class Caleb Mathena, an assistant team leader and Malree Frisby, a maintenance advisor, alongside Staff Sgts. Kyle Parker, a medical advisor, Alyssa Aragon, a signal advisor, and Andres Sanchez, a fires advisor, immediately rushed to the site to support.
“We were at the right place at the right time, and I’m glad we were able to help,” said Heroux. “It’s a big relief knowing that I don’t have a person’s death on my hands - that with my training, I could stop that from happening.”
At the time of the accident, the Soldiers were advising their Djiboutian Battalion d’Intervention Rapide (B.I.R.) counterparts. Together, both forces worked to assist the injured.
The U.S. Army SFABs are specialized units with the core mission to conduct training, advising, assisting, enabling and accompanying operations with allied and partner nations. Soldiers in SFABs are highly trained, and among the top tactical leaders in the Army. Their work strengthens allied nations and partners while supporting America’s security objectives and the combatant commanders' warfighting needs.
The SFAB unit members continuously train, which prepares them to quickly assess various situations and in this instance provide the life-saving care needed.
“This situation shows that the SFAB and the B.I.R. are partners, as they worked together to save lives, treat the injured, and to prevent future accidents from occurring,” said Maj. John P. Flach, SFAB commander.
Heroux, Hopton, Sanchez, Parker, Aragon, Mathena and Frisby are nominated for service awards based on their actions during the incident.
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