Private First Class Stephen Bradley, a motor transport operator with the 126th Composite Truck Company, heard gunfire near his Spring Lake home on Saturday, May 28, 2026, and rushed to a civilian with multiple gunshot wounds.
Bradley’s combat lifesaver training kicked in instantly; he applied a tourniquet to the victim’s arm, sealed a chest wound, and used a pressure dressing before paramedics arrived.
Local first responders confirmed that Bradley’s rapid intervention was critical to keeping the victim alive, and the man was later transported to a hospital where he is expected to recover.
Brigadier General Raphael S. Heflin, commander of the 3rd Corps Sustainment Command, presented Bradley with the Army Commendation Medal at a ceremony held on June 5 at the command’s headquarters.
Heflin praised the soldier’s readiness, noting that combat lifesaver skills are vital in both military and civilian emergencies, and adding that Bradley exemplifies the ideal battle buddy.
The incident underscores how standard military medical training can save lives outside the battlefield, a point the Army hopes to reinforce across its ranks.