WASHINGTON — U.S. Army Staff Sgts. Tianna Wilson, of the Georgia National Guard, and Brianna Rodriguez-Munns, of the Arkansas National Guard, both public affairs noncommissioned officers assigned to Joint Task Force-District of Columbia in support of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission, provided immediate medical aid to a minor involved in a vehicle-versus-scooter accident here March 31.
Their quick actions highlight how National Guard training prepares service members — regardless of specialty — to respond to emergencies and protect lives when seconds matter.
Wilson and Rodriguez-Munns, both public affairs mass communication specialists, were returning from a day at the range when they noticed something concerning on the side of the road: an injured person.
“I noticed the person lying on the ground looking unconscious because I was checking my blind spot to switch lanes,” recounted Rodriguez-Munns. “(I) saw people standing on an on-ramp and I was curious why people would be standing in the road at such a busy time of day.”
She parked the van as quickly and safely as she could before both Soldiers ran to help. Rodriguez-Munns began her military career as a combat medic, and those skills quickly took over.
“I feel my training helped me a lot. With all the ‘what if’ initial thoughts, my medical training silenced it all. They preached to us in combat medic school how our muscle memory will be the biggest asset. One incident after another has proven that to be true.”
Wilson followed immediately.
“We were driving back from the range. Staff Sgt. Rodriguez was driving, and I was in the passenger seat,” she said. “We saw him lying on the side of the road with his feet dangling off the curb.”
“My first thought was ‘this looks bad.’ He didn’t appear to be moving at all, and he wasn’t even entirely out of the road. When Rodriguez decided to stop, I immediately thought to myself, ‘One of us needs to go with her,’” Wilson continued.
“I don’t have any advanced medical training to speak of, only the basic combat lifesaving skills we all learn as Soldiers, but I like to think my military training and experience has prepared me to respond appropriately in a crisis. I knew Rodriguez used to be a combat medic, so when I jumped out of the vehicle after her I knew my role was going to be ‘listen to Rodriguez, do whatever she needs me to do in this moment.’”
While Rodriguez-Munns focused on patient care, Wilson coordinated communication, contacting the victim’s family and keeping them informed until he was transported to the hospital.
The Army’s emphasis on repetition and realism in training proved critical in the moment.
“A calmness always comes over me when I finally make boots on the ground at a scene, and almost like I’m a robot, my body and my brain start moving through the motions: scene safety, H-ABC’s, head-to-toe assessment; the combat medic’s bread and butter,” said Rodriguez-Munns. “I’m proud that my instincts did not fail me.”
Wilson said her training helped her remain composed and focused.
“I think my military training helped me to keep my emotions in check and remain focused on what needed to happen in that moment,” she said. “If you’re able to look at an emergency and instinctively break it down in terms of ‘Here’s what needs to happen first,’ I think it helps to keep you from panicking.”
Rodriguez-Munns noted that although combat medic is now her secondary military occupational specialty, the training remains ingrained.
“Combat medic is now my secondary MOS and, that means I don’t get as many reps or practice in as I did my first six years of my military career,” she said. “I would not have thought I’d have to step back into the roll of a combat medic but I am so happy that I was able to be the first intervention in the pedestrians line of care.”
The two Soldiers credited teamwork for their effectiveness at the scene.
“I am proud of my counterpart Staff Sgt. Wilson,” Rodriguez-Munns said. “She’s not a medical professional, but she still took off with me and was willing to help in more ways than one … her help allowed me to offer my full attention to the patient.”
For Wilson, the experience reinforced the impact of simply being willing to act.
“For maybe the first time in my life, I’m grateful for a traffic jam,” she said. “It meant we were able to be there to help the victim.”
She later learned the outcome from the victim’s family.
“His mom actually contacted me later that night, he’d gotten discharged from the hospital to go home,” Wilson said. “He had been asking her to tell us how grateful he was for our help. It didn’t feel like we did all that much but learning that it meant that much to him felt really good.”
Related Links
The Official Website of the National Guard | NationalGuard.mil
State Partnership Program | NationalGuard.mil
The National Guard on Facebook | Facebook.com/TheNationalGuard
The National Guard on Flickr | Flickr.com/TheNationalGuard
The National Guard on Instagram | Instagram.com/us.nationalguard
The National Guard on X | X.com/USNationalGuard
The National Guard on YouTube | YouTube.com/TheNationalGuard
Social Sharing