In May 2022, Maritime Gunnery Sgt. Benjamin Frazier was driving throughout a bridge in Virginia when he saw a young man on the bridges ledge. He also observed that a woman was making an attempt to converse to the male, while wanting all around for another person to assistance.
As so often comes about when Marines see an crisis, Frazier instinctively moved toward the risk.
It was just one particular of all those sixth-feeling moments, mentioned Frazier, an intelligence instructor at Maritime Corps Detachment Dam Neck, Virginia.
According to a Marine Corps information story Frazier pulled his car or truck around and named 911. Then he made his way to the ledge of the bridge, exactly where the person experienced pushed away the girl numerous occasions.
Frazier reached out and grabbed the suicidal mans remaining arm and then used his overall body bodyweight to maintain the man from leaping. The male struggled to break free of Fraziers grip.
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The two teetered close to the edge of the bridge. Just one wrong go could have despatched the two Frazier and the guy on the ledge into the water below.
I recall viewing the ocean, Frazier recalled.
But Frazier managed to move the man absent from the ledge. He then realized the gentleman was also a Marine and started conversing to him about military lifetime to sort a rapport with the man.
I was a youthful Maritime at just one place in my career as well, Frazier explained. We talked about hometowns and how his younger siblings essential him as a mentor.
When the initial responders arrived, Frazier ongoing to just take demand of the problem, generating guaranteed the fellow Marine was protected as he was escorted off the bridge.
On March 21, Frazier acquired the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for halting the other Maritime from making an attempt to finish his daily life.
The medal is typically awarded for heroism exterior of beat. Other recent recipients include things like Cpl. Aidan J. Meyler-McAuliffe, who jumped into stormy seas off South Carolina to conserve a woman from drowning a Marine Reserve lieutenant colonel whose name was not released who assisted consider down a human trafficking ring when he was waiting around to just take his Bodily Physical fitness Take a look at and Workers Sgt. Derek Ferrari, detachment commander of Maritime Protection Guards in the course of the 2023 evacuation of the U.S. embassy in Khartoum, Sudan.
When Frazier received the award, he stressed the require for Marines to glance out for each and every other.
As Marines, we need to maintain the brotherhood and sisterhood principles in combat, to the garrison placing, Frazier claimed.