15th Wing Public Affairs
3/5/2013 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Tech. Sgt. Ronald J. Giannetti, 15th Operations Support Squadron special missions flight attendant instructor, was recently selected as the Pacific Air Forces 2013 Non-commissioned Officer Association Vanguard Award recipient.
The NCOA Vanguard Award, which recognizes enlisted members for acts of heroism that directly result in saving lives or preventing injury, was awarded to Giannetti on Sept. 3, 2012 for his part in rescuing a young girl.
While hiking with his friends on Labor Day, Giannetti noticed a teen girl having difficulty on the trail. He leaned down and offered her his hand and to help pull her up a wall, then continued his trek. On the return leg of the hike, he crossed paths with the girl again. She was sitting on a rock, slumped over and being held up by two friends.
He noticed that she was breathing very heavily, appeared unconscious and non-responsive.
Giannetti immediately offered aid to the teen. Joined by a few other hikers, Giannetti and the group offered the young girl food and water before building a make-shift gurney out of their clothing and tree branches, and carrying the girl down the mountain.
"Moving the girl down the mountain was very tricky because it involved navigating rock walls, mud and hills," he said. "We could have easily slipped and fell 30 feet if weren't careful."
Giannetti said the group took turns carrying the litter to make sure no one became exhausted on the hike down. He used his break to call 911 for emergency assistance, but the call was dropped due to low reception in the area.
The hike continued on for some time before the group was discovered by a nearby helicopter, and finally rescued by a local fire department. The teen was airlifted to a local hospital where she made a full recovery, thanks to the help of Giannetti and his fellow hikers.
"I have no doubt my Air Force training helped me in this situation," he said of his rescue efforts. "I can say with no hesitation that the Self Aid Buddy Care, Air Care Flight Attendant Cabin Training Systems training and my Combat Survival School training came into play on that mountain."
According to Capt. Gabriel Chavarria, PACAF 15th Operations Group, nominating Giannetti for the award was an easy decision. He knew Giannetti would be a perfect candidate for the 2013 Non-commissioned Officer Association Vanguard Award.
"After hearing the story and seeing his interview on TV, I felt he needed to be recognized for his good deed," he said. "His story was simply amazing and is a testament to what kind of person he is. He is always there to help anyone in need both in and out of the office."
Chavarria said Giannetti's proactive attitude is present on and off duty.
"Tech. Sgt. Giannetti is one of the most professional NCOs that I have had the pleasure and honor to work with," he said. "His work ethic, can-do attitude and professionalism are all exceptional. He is creative and ingenious, which was evident in how he handled himself when coming to the aid of a fellow hiker."
As PACAF's 2013 Non-commissioned Officer Association Vanguard Award recipient, he has advanced the Air Force level competition. The winner of the Air Force Vanguard Award is expected to be announced in the near future.
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