U.S. Army Soldiers, with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, pose for a photograph before receiving a garrison coin at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Jan. 25, 2024. The Soldiers ran towards the sound of danger to put out a fire and helped others to safety. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Rebeca Soria)

U.S. Army Spc. Dominik Apodaca, an Infantryman with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, poses for a photograph before receiving a garrison coin at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Jan. 25, 2024. Apodaca was one of the Soldiers who ran towards the sound of danger to put out a fire and help others to safety. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Rebeca Soria)

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class William Diederich, an M1 Armor Crewman with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, poses for a photograph before receiving a garrison coin at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Jan. 25, 2024. The Soldiers ran towards the sound of danger to put out a fire and helped others to safety. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Rebeca Soria)

U.S. Army Spc. Charles Kinney, an Infantryman, with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, poses for a photograph before receiving a garrison coin at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Jan. 25, 2024. The Soldiers ran towards the sound of danger to put out a fire and helped others to safety. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Rebeca Soria)

U.S. Army Soldiers, with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, listen to Command Sgt. Maj. Brandon Rudder before receiving a garrison coin at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Jan. 25, 2024. The Soldiers ran towards the sound of danger to put out a fire and helped others to safety. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Rebeca Soria)

U.S. Army Soldiers, with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, listen to Command Sgt. Maj. Brandon Rudder before receiving a garrison coin at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Jan. 25, 2024. The Soldiers ran towards the sound of danger to put out a fire and helped others to safety. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Rebeca Soria)

U.S. Army Soldiers, with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, receive a garrison coin from Command Sgt. Maj. Brandon Rudder at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Jan. 25, 2024. The Soldiers ran towards the sound of danger to put out a fire and helped others to safety. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Rebeca Soria)

U.S. Army Soldiers, with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, receive a garrison coin from Command Sgt. Maj. Brandon Rudder at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Jan. 25, 2024. The Soldiers ran towards the sound of danger to put out a fire and helped others to safety. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Rebeca Soria)

U.S. Army Soldiers, with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, receive a garrison coin from Command Sgt. Maj. Brandon Rudder at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Jan. 25, 2024. The Soldiers ran towards the sound of danger to put out a fire and helped others to safety. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Rebeca Soria)

GLENNVILLE, Ga. – Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment ran towards the sound of danger to put out a fire and help others to safety.

On Jan. 5, 2024, Sgt. 1st Class William Diederich, an M1 Armor Crewman, Spc. Dominik Apodaca, an Infantryman, and Spc. Charles Kinney, an Infantryman, were on a flag detail during a funeral service, when they noticed that a fire had begun.

At first, they noticed the smell of smoke in the air and approached to investigate. As they moved closer, they heard multiple people yelling there was a fire. They then observed that a fire had started underneath a parked vehicle with an older woman sitting inside. Understanding the immediate danger the woman and others around were in, they jumped into action to put out the fire. Kinney, being a firefighter before joining the Army, knew the oil beneath the car could cause an explosion, and quickly had the occupant move the vehicle to a safer location. Apodaca moved to his vehicle to grab the water he had available in an attempt to put out the fire.

“I was a little slower behind the others and thought about the water I had left in my car,” said Apodaca. “I knew that any water was important and I ran to get it.”

Diederich immediately grabbed a towel from the car to swat out the fire, relying on his fire safety training as a tank crewman. Together as a team, the three quickly put out the fire, prevented it from spreading and kept everyone in the area safe.

“Danger is another thing that just happens,” said Diederich. “We're trained to move towards it, reduce the danger and then go to the next mission.”

Because of their courageous actions that day, Maj. Gen. Christopher R. Norrie, Commanding General of 3rd Infantry Division (3rd ID), Command Sgt. Maj. Jonathan Reffeor 3rd ID CSM, and Command Sgt. Maj. Brandon B. Rudder, with 3rd ID DIVARTY, extended their gratitude for embodying 3rd ID’s commitment to producing Soldiers who are ready for anything, on or off the battlefield.

Additionally, on Jan. 25, Command Sgt. Maj. Rudder presented a garrison coin on behalf of the 3rd ID Command Team to show their appreciation. The 3rd ID strives to highlight their Soldiers and recognize those who go above and beyond their call to service.