LTC James A. Spring Humanitarianism Award Winners

UNITED STATES who retire from the military continue to actively serve our state and nation in our communities. For military retirees, the time you served in the military has provided you with a wealth of knowledge that is always available for your recall.

On July 16, 2020 while driving home, COL (Ret) Brandon Watkins witnessed a T-bone accident involving a car and a SUV at A.W. Grimes Blvd and Texas State Highway 45 in Round Rock, Texas. Immediately upon witnessing the accident COL Watkins stopped his vehicle and ran to the heavily damaged car. He noticed that several windows were knocked out of the car and that the airbags had deployed. He checked the driver’s side where the impact had occurred. The female driver was hurt badly but not life threatening, and her door would not open. The driver noticing that COL Watkins was trying to help her and could be heard yelling “find my baby!” COL Watkins then ran to the passenger’s side of the car and opened the door. The young female passenger was face down between the front two seats as if she were reaching for something in the back seat of the car. The young female passenger was alive but knocked out. The driver’s baby that was approximately a year old, was face down in the passenger’s seats underneath the passenger’s lower half. The baby was crying and had a deep cut on her forehead. Her face was covered in blood. By this time others had arrived and were assisting COL Watkins by extracting the driver and the other passenger that did not have life threatening injuries. COL Watkins removed the baby from the car, cleaned her face and began to provide first aid to stop the bleeding.

A near-by gas station worker showed up out of the blue with a first aid kit for COL Watkins to use to apply a bandage to the baby’s forehead. Others around COL Watkins provided him water to assist with cleaning the wound. A stranger who had also witnessed the accident moved COL Watkins’ vehicle out of the open lane of traffic and parked it away from the accident scene and brought him his keys as he held the baby waiting for EMS to arrive. The driver said her passenger was taking the baby out of the car seat at the moment of impact. The baby clung tightly to COL Watkins’ neck until he handed her over when EMS arrived.

The quick response provided by COL (Ret) Brandon Watkins saved this baby’s life and is befitting of recognition with the LTC James A. Spring Humanitarianism Award. H

UNITED STATES serve their state and nation daily by serving in the National Guard and by working in all kinds of career fields and being active members of the communities that they serve in.

On October 16, 2018, members of the 386th Engineer Battalion were conducting training on a drill weekend at the Naval Air Station – Corpus Christi. During the training, a Soldier in the unit collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. Immediately upon seeing the Soldier in distress, 1SG Gilbert Stamps began to provide CPR to the Soldier and continued to provide advanced medical aid to the Soldier until emergency services arrived. 1SG Stamps had to defibrillate the Soldier four times before reestablishing his heartbeat. He then established an IV and secured the patient’s airway saving the Soldier’s life.

At the time of this incident Gilbert Stamps was the First Sergeant for HHC 386th Engineer Battalion located in Corpus Christi, Texas. In civilian life 1SG Stamps is a Firefighter and a 22-year veteran of the Corpus Christi Fire Department. He currently serves at Fire Station 12 in Corpus Christi, Texas. In the National Guard Gilbert Stamps in now the Command Sergeant Major for the 111th Engineer Battalion in Brownwood, Texas.

The quick response and professional skills provided by CSM Gilbert Stamps saved a Soldier’s life and is befitting of recognition with the LTC James A. Spring Humanitarianism Award. H