Agency lauds duo for heroism Published Aug. 1, 2014 By Wayne Amann Air Force ISR Agency Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO - LACKLAND, Texas -- What began as a casual shopping trip quickly turned into an emergency situation for two Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency NCOs on temporary duty. It tested their mettle as Wingmen. Tech. Sgts. Tyler Cresap and Clinton Kincade were checking out the sunglasses at the Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Exchange the morning of June 25 when another shopper, an Air Force retiree, collapsed onto the store floor. Since the store opened only minutes earlier there were no other shoppers nearby. The two sergeants recognized the fallen customer's plight and immediately took control of the situation, which was captured by the store security camera and witnessed by Joanne Honour, the Nellis Exchange Loss Prevention manager. "I went out to the floor when I was notified of the incident and they had already turned the man on his side and retrieved the AED [automated external defibrillator] unit," Honour said. "It was obvious they were trained responders." An AED is a portable device that checks the heart rhythm. If needed, it can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm. AEDs are used to treat sudden cardiac arrest. "The retiree suffered a seizure, at one point he was purple," Honour said. "I believe they saved his life." The NCOs stayed with the stricken customer until the paramedics arrived. After the customer was transported from the exchange, Honour presented Cresap and Knicade with $25 gift cards for their heroic actions. "No amount of money can say thank you enough to these professional, well trained individuals for their instant action that went above and beyond the line of duty," Honour said. "We were fortunate to have these two upstanding Airmen in our store. They should be highly recognized." Their boss agreed. Maj. Gen. John Shanahan, Air Force ISR Agency commander, presented Cresap and Kincade with ISR Agency Wingman coins during a special ceremony at the agency headquarters here. "Hero is sometimes an overused word, but when you save a life, that's being a hero," Shanahan said. "I don't care what you say or what you think you may or may not have done, the person who collapsed and turned purple is alive, and that's a big deal." Cresap and Kincade knew time was of the essence that day in the BX. "There wasn't a lot of thinking involved, it was more just reacting," Cresap said. "Once you're in that situation, you just do what you think is right at the time and go from there, look at his reaction and adjust accordingly." "It was partially the training and partially the fact we were the only ones there so it was our duty to do something," Kincade said. "We felt obliged to respond." Cresap and Kincade each received a one-day pass and the special ISR Agency Wingman coin embossed with two stars and command chief stripes on one side and the agency shield sandwiched by two Air Force logos on the other. "I give these out very, very infrequently," Shanahan told the recipients. "It's something that has to meet a threshold that truly is on this level. You have clearly, undoubtedly met that threshold and I thank you in front of your peers." "Glad we were there, glad we could help and glad he's OK," Cresap said.
