Airmen to the rescue!

Published March 12, 2009
By Senior Airman Emerald Ralston
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- A normal day of snowboarding and skiing at Mt. Spokane ended with Fairchild Airmen serving as Good Samaritans to one unfortunate man on the way down the mountain. Even after a long arduous day of hitting the slopes, the Airmen didn't hesitate to help a person in need.

The day began with a snowboarding and skiing trip sponsored by the Chapel for single Airmen to get out and enjoy what the area had to offer. After experiencing Mt. Spokane, the group started to head home, down the mountain that led back home. Upon their descent, they came across a road block - a man in a truck had flipped his vehicle due to icy, winter road conditions.

Within moments, the Airmen from the Chapel trip were out of their vehicle assisting the man with his predicament.

Nine of the 18 Airmen found their angle and started to push. After a few minutes the truck was upright and the man was safely on his way.

"Where else do you find people willing to do that?" said Chaplain (Capt.) Erik Harp, 92nd Air Refueling Wing chaplain. "The game warden asked if anyone was willing to help, and the Airmen just jumped. I was impressed at their willingness to jump in and was amazed at the amount of strength that was exhibited. In one smooth motion the truck went from its side to all four wheels."

Rather than going around the flipped truck and carrying on with their weekend, these Airmen demonstrated the core value Service Before Self.

"I definitely felt they had done a good deed," Chaplain Harp said. "The irony was we chaplains intended to show our appreciation to the Airmen and serve them by letting them ski and get away from Fairchild for awhile. Then they turn around to serve others. It's like they can't turn off the switch - they're always in service mode. It warmed my heart."

They demonstrated to the public what it means to be a member of our United States Air Force with a simple, quick task that could have just as easily been avoided, said the chaplain. They could have sat in the vehicle and grumbled until a tow-truck arrived. They could have assessed the situation and decided there was nothing they could do and drive on. But instead they leapt at the opportunity to serve a member of their community.

"The game warden was extremely elated," Chaplain Harp said. "He expressed his gratitude multiple times to the Air Force and to the Airmen. We unclogged the road and we got the guy off the road. Even at 11 p.m. after a long day, there they were, out there and still ambassadors for the Air Force."