[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 106 (Thursday, June 28, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S8683]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RESCUERS FROM EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, it gives me great pride to salute three 
brave young airmen stationed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. SSGt 
Bryan Fletcher, SrA Elicia Greer, and SrA John Rogers displayed 
remarkable heroism--and saved a life--on the evening of June 16, 2007.
  The three airmen were riding recreational vehicles near Jet Ski Lake 
in Fairbanks when they heard a woman scream. They immediately stopped 
to help, and saw an unconscious man about to drown in the lake. Staff 
Sergeant Fletcher dove into the water first, followed by Senior Airman 
Greer. They proceeded to pull the man out and began cardiopulmonary 
resuscitation. Senior Airman Rogers, who was riding a distance away, 
soon arrived to help in this effort.
  Airmen Fletcher, Greer, and Rogers spent several minutes 
administering CPR to Joseph Mead before they registered any response. 
All three took turns performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and 
compressing Mead's heart. They continued CPR until the University of 
Alaska Fire Department arrived to take over. Mead was safely revived, 
taken to the hospital, and released the next day with no lasting 
injuries.
  The lakeside rescue is not the first time these individuals have 
displayed tremendous heroism--each has also served in Iraq with 
distinction. As veterans of U.S. Army combat convoy duty, they were 
tasked with dangerous and difficult work in the most demanding of 
circumstances. Like their recent rescue of Joseph Mead, however, no 
challenge has yet proven too difficult for them to overcome.
  Staff Sergeant Fletcher hails from McCloud, TX; Senior Airman Greer 
is from Bozeman, MT; and Senior Airman Rogers is from Cumberland Gap, 
TN. They are currently assigned to the 354th Logistics Readiness 
Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, where they serve Alaska and our 
Nation with honor.
  A few days after the rescue, Joseph Mead's cousin, Ben Saylor, said, 
``This is a reminder that there are good people in this world.'' He is 
right. These airmen epitomize the kind of quiet professionalism and 
unassuming valor our men and women in uniform demonstrate on a daily 
basis. I join all Alaskans in commending their courageous actions.

                          ____________________