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Airman wins award for heroism

  • Published
  • By Kevin Gaddie
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  What began as an April day at the beach for an off-duty Airman evolved into acts of heroism, as he saved the lives of seven people caught in a riptide.

Senior Airman Jonathon Bennett, 96th Security Forces Squadron, was recently awarded the Non- Commissioned Officers Association Vanguard Award for 2011 for risking his life on that day at Fort Walton Beach, Fla.'s Okaloosa Island.

On a day off last year, he and a few friends decided to go to Okaloosa Island to have some fun at the beach. "We were just out enjoying the day," he said.

The beach's weather flag suddenly changed from yellow to red, an alert that conditions were favorable for high surf and strong currents - to include dangerous riptides.

"I had just come out of the water and sat down, when I thought I heard somebody yelling," he said. "I looked out into the water and saw a few people waving their arms, about 50 meters out."

For Airman Bennett, who grew up swimming competitively in his hometown of Corunna, Mich. and knew about riptides from family vacations in Florida, there was no time to think about what to do next.

"I can't say what was going through my mind when it was all happening," he said. "My first reflex was to act."

He immediately swam out into the cold ocean and found two panic-stricken teenagers being dragged underwater by a riptide.

Swimming along the riptide, as is recommended, Airman Bennett rescued one teen while another unidentified swimmer who had also witnessed the situation brought the other to shore.

After ensuring the pair was fine, he saw another perilous scene in the water, this time approximately 75 meters from the beach.

"I saw a family clinging to a raft," he said. "It was an older couple who had some kids with them. The couple swam out to bring the kids and the raft in, but they were having all sorts of trouble. I could tell they were struggling."

Without hesitation or thought for his own safety, Airman Bennett swam to the distressed group. With one of the children holding onto one of his shoulders, he pushed the raft close enough to land for all five people to stand up in the shallow water and walk out.

"I could tell they were all at the point of exhaustion, because they breathing heavily and weren't answering my questions," he recalled.

By then, Airman Bennett was also fatigued from the two rescues, thought he had a little time to think about it. He wasn't done.

He saw two children who were swept out further than the two other groups, approximately 100 meters from shore. He could see the children repeatedly going under and resurfacing.

Airman Bennett dove in a third time, accompanied by the swimmer who helped save the two teens in the first rescue.

"I took one kid, he grabbed the other kid, and we both swam them in at the same time," he said. "I carried the kid all the way to the beach because he was so shaken he couldn't stand in the shallow water. His mom and dad came and got him from there, and thanked me for what I had done."

He stayed with all of the victims, keeping them calm to avoid shock and hypothermia until emergency medical personnel arrived.

At that point "I just kind of went on about my business and got off the beach," he said.

For his actions April 5, 2010, he was recognized by the NCOA at a ceremony in Las Vegas.

The annual award is given to one member of each branch of the armed forces who perform a heroic act, on or off duty, resulting in the saving of life or the prevention of serious injury.

"I was honored to hear I'd won the award," said Airman Bennett, a four-year Air Force veteran. "My leadership has been great in explaining how big it is and what it all means, and I'm flattered to have been nominated for it."

In the months since the events of that day, he has been called a hero many times by his peers and his leadership for his actions. But the humble Airman doesn't think that about himself.

"I definitely don't feel like a hero," he said. "I feel more like a person that was in the right place, at the right time. I just did what I hope anyone else would do, in my shoes."