La. Army National Guard Soldiers awarded for heroism
By Warrant Officer Thea James, Louisiana National Guard Public Affairs Office
LAFAYETTE, La. – Louisiana Army National Guardsmen Sgt. Christian M. Jaubert, a native of Broussard, La., and Staff Sgt. Dillon J. Mandeville, a native from New Iberia, La., each received the Louisiana National Guard Distinguished Service Cross on May 31 during an awards ceremony at the Tiger Den in Lafayette, Louisiana.
On Sept. 14, 2021, the two B Company, Recruiting and Retention Command Soldiers’ rapid response aided in saving local students’ lives. They performed life-saving techniques and rendered immediate aid to the victims in need, while simultaneously providing 911 operators and parents with information on the injured students.
The LANG Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to any active LANG Soldier who, while serving honorably, distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism which did not justify a LANG Medal of Honor. This heroic act must set the individual apart from his comrades and involve risk of life.
“The Soldiers distinguished themselves while responding to a near fatal vehicle accident. Their quick thinking and decisive action saved the life of one victim and mitigated the impact of this traumatic event for several others,” expressed Maj. Gen. D. Keith Waddell, adjutant general of LANG, in the award order. “Victims and families affected by this event will be forever grateful, and their impact will not be soon forgotten.”
“Most people would have panicked in that situation, but because of the training I have, I knew what to do; there was no hesitation to assist the civilians,” said Jaubert. “I feel like it was kind of my responsibility to help in that situation because I had the knowledge, and I feel like God put me in the right place at the right time. I was glad that I was there to do that.”
Mandeville said, “I didn’t know the extent of the injuries the pedestrians sustained, but I did know I needed to respond immediately. With the multitude of trainings I received in the Louisiana National Guard I knew I could effectively perform triage safely until paramedics arrived.”
“The CLS [Combat Life Saver] training classes teach you skills that help instilled a sense of calmness in the mist of chaos and to be a calming voice for the victims,” said Mandeville. “It was a comforting feeling knowing that the kids were fine.”