For all the stories about the minority of idiots in USFK there are plenty of people like this doing all the right things:
An 18th Medical Logistics Battalion soldier was recognized Wednesday for actions that might have saved the life of a Korean truck driver. Staff Sgt. Mitchell Calhoun was driving from Waegwon to Daegu on Sunday when he saw 31-year-old Lee Young-han thrown from his truck after it spun out of control on rain-soaked Highway 4.
Calhoun, who had recently completed expert field medical badge training, stopped his car to help.
Seeing Lee had a head injury, Calhoun went to his car to get an emergency trauma dressing. When he got back with the dressing, Lee had stopped breathing, and he no longer had a pulse.
Calhoun’s training kicked in.
“About the second set of chest compressions he started gasping for breath real hard and started breathing,” Calhoun said.
Calhoun stayed with Lee until an ambulance arrived, briefed rescuers on the extent of Lee’s injuries, then helped police direct traffic until the wreckage could be moved.
A laboratory technician, Calhoun said he helped with trauma care at a clinic in Iraq, but never expected to render emergency care outside of a combat situation. “This is different for me because it was so unexpected,” he said. “[In Iraq] we knew what to expect and we had facilities and equipment set up.” [Stars & Stripes]
The local police had some very interesting things to say about SSG Calhoun’s actions:
Police presented Calhoun with a watch and a certificate during Wednesday’s ceremony at the Chilgok police station.
Heo Won-seok, a senior police officer with the Chilgok Police Department, said Calhoun’s actions were not only selfless, but also uncommon. “Other Korean drivers are busy going on their way after seeing the accidents, some are even cursing the injured because they would further add to the traffic congestions.”
Great job by SSG Calhoun as well as the great comments from the Officer Heo which hopefully will encourage others to help people in need.
The victim Mr. Lee is still in critical condition in the hospital and best wishes to his family in the hope that recovers from this tragic accident.
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9:00 am on July 18th, 2008 1
Wait until SSG Calhoun gets the hospital bill. There is a reason Koreans do not stop and render aid to each other, they are greedy, lying, money grubbing assholes.
11:21 am on July 18th, 2008 2
Leon that is a pretty sweeping statement. I would say some are not all and from the article the family of Mr. Lee and the police were very appreciative of SSG Calhoun’s efforts.
11:27 am on July 18th, 2008 3
Leon is starting to sound like Shattered.
1:40 pm on July 18th, 2008 4
The family has insurance and depending on the outcome of the investigation the insurance should cover most of the costs. As for your ignorance Leon there is no insurance to cover that, but I’m sure in the end you will get stuck with the bill of being close minded and judgemental. Good luck to you!
2:07 pm on July 18th, 2008 5
Leon, In SOOOO many ways, talking about Korae is similar to the Greek myth of Cassandra.
You tell the truth but nobody belives you. You tell the truth and people are angry at you. You tell the truth and people throw racial epithets at you. They try and shut you up. But, in the end…. in the end, what you said turns out to be true.
SOOOOO many people, the sell-outs, the newbee’s, even Korean old timers would rather stick their head in the sand then admit the truth about Korea. Normally I am OK with that, but it seems that part of selling out is trying to preach to others on the grandness of Korea.
The good news is that Korea has her own justice. Those that sell-out the most, in the end get screwed to the degree of their sell-out, and preachyness. Hoisted by their own petard.
ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassandra
2:20 pm on July 18th, 2008 6
I am happy you were not taken advantage of. I must tell you bad things do in fact happen. “Blame the Waegook” is a popular game, especially around Area I camps. Until it happens to you, everyone else is just ignorant bigots.
Job well done. You are a shining example.
*Please note: folks on the interwebs sometimes troll and use sarcasm as a tool. Thank you for playing!
3:36 pm on July 18th, 2008 7
It’s a game I enjoy as well (sarcasm), I’m always ready to participate in a good round of it. I just found it funny that you mentioned the money when it was already looked into. I’m not naive, I made sure the family was prepared for that and had a plan and didn’t think I was gonna be able to help. They actually tried to give me money!
11:07 pm on July 18th, 2008 8
I read about this in the Stars & Stripes, today. Good job, SSG Calhoun!
5:44 am on August 6th, 2008 9
I see that he shows others that he can be a hero by saving a life…but what about being a hero for his family…instead he only thinks about himself and sends his family back to the states to live in a bedroom of a friends house while he has a house to himself, which he got because of his family…I might add. And his wife has to worry about if she will have money in the account so she can feed her kids and pay for daycare because his single life in Korea is so important.. So I wonder what kind of HERO he really is..surely not one to his wife and kids!!!! Great job Mitch