An off-duty US Army soldier stepped in to help a gunshot victim near Fort Bragg after hearing gunfire near his home in North Carolina. Private First Class Stephen Bradley received the Army Commendation Medal for quickly giving medical care to the injured civilian until emergency services arrived.
Brigadier General Raphael S. Heflin, commanding general of the 3rd Corps Sustainment Command, presented the award during a ceremony. Bradley, who is from Spanish Town, Jamaica, serves as a motor transport operator with the 126th Composite Truck Company, 264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Corps Sustainment Command. He was off duty at his home in Spring Lake, just outside Fort Bragg, when the shooting happened.
Response to off-post gunfire
After hearing several gunshots outside his home, Bradley went outside to see what had happened. He found a civilian with multiple gunshot wounds who needed immediate medical help. "I heard several shots and immediately went out to see what happened," Bradley said in an official report published by the United States Army. "When I saw someone was wounded, my training immediately took over. All that mattered was getting to him and keeping him stable.
" Bradley approached an off-duty police officer who was already at the scene. He identified himself as a soldier trained in military combat lifesaver skills. He then collected his emergency medical kit and began treating the victim.
Emergency treatment at the scene
Bradley worked directly on the injured man. He placed a tourniquet on the man's arm to stop heavy bleeding. He also used a pressure dressing and a chest seal to help stabilize other injuries.
Local first responders confirmed that Bradley's quick use of advanced first aid was vital in keeping the patient alive until paramedics arrived and took him to a hospital. According to the US Army report, local civilian law enforcement agencies are leading the ongoing criminal investigation into the shooting.
Military recognition and training impact
During the award ceremony, Heflin praised Bradley for taking action. He also highlighted how standard military medical training can be useful in emergencies outside the military.
"This is a clear testament to why combat lifesaver qualification is so vital across our entire formation," Heflin said during the ceremony. "When seconds count, that training saves lives, whether in combat or right here in our local communities.
Pfc. Bradley is exactly the kind of Soldier you want standing beside you as your battle buddy, because when an emergency happened, he didn't hesitate to act." The Combat Lifesaver course is a standard training programme for military personnel who are not medical professionals. It teaches them how to provide immediate treatment for serious injuries under pressure. The training covers ways to control severe bleeding, manage airways and treat chest wounds. Bradley's actions showed how these regular military training skills can help save lives during real emergencies in civilian communities.