An officer candidate from Jacksonville has been awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for saving a shipmate’s life.
While eating dinner at the Ney Hall Galley at Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island, Tyler Zutell, an Officer Candidate School student, noticed a student from the nearby junior indoctrination class choking and struggling to breathe.
Zutell quickly responded and successfully administered the Heimlich maneuver.
Capt. Mark C. Hazenberg, commanding officer of Officer Training Command Newport (OTCN), Rhode Island, awarded Zutell the medal on March 17.
“Officer Candidate Zutell’s effective use of prior training and his ‘take-charge’ attitude demonstrated leadership and saved the life of a shipmate,” said Hazenberg in a news release provided by the Navy.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
