Face of Defense: Soldier, Family Help Accident Victim

By Army Sgt. William Begley

3rd Combat Aviation Brigade

SAVANNAH, Ga., April 13, 2015 – Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Mike Carman and his sons, Miguel and Enrique, were recognized in an April 9 ceremony at Hunter Army Airfield for efforts that potentially saved a young woman’s life after a February car accident.

Carman, aviation mission survivability officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, was in Atlanta with his sons Feb. 14 for a soccer tournament.

The family witnessed a car accident in which a teenage girl who was not wearing her seatbelt was thrown from a vehicle her older sister was driving. Their father was in another vehicle at the scene. The girl had cuts on her face and was losing blood.

“We immediately stopped and saw the father and sister running around and very emotional,” Carman said. “They saw their daughter/sister, who was unresponsive and bleeding, and they panicked.”

Meanwhile, Carman and his sons began treating the victim. Carman immediately drew upon his combat lifesaver training and said he checked the ABCs: airway, bleeding and circulation.

“At first, I didn’t know what to do,” said 10-year-old Enrique. “Then my brother Miguel told me to get the first aid kit, so I did and handed it to my dad.”

A Valuable Lesson

Enrique said he learned a valuable lesson from the experience. “There were a lot of people just standing around doing nothing, and I didn’t think that was right,” he said. “I think the lesson I learned was don’t just stand around, take action.”

Miguel, 13, called 911 immediately and followed his father’s directions. “I just listened to my dad’s orders, because it was obvious he knew what he was doing,” he said. “I’m just glad we could help out.”

Carman said he is proud of his boys.

“Anybody wearing this uniform would do the exact same thing,” Carman said. “To see two young men get involved in a situation and provide aid to someone who is in desperate need of it while a lot of folks just stood there watching says a lot about their character. I could not be more proud.”