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Gen. Mike Minihan, Commander of Air Mobility Command, visits the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station June 8, 2024.

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Future reserve aeromed impedes bomb threat

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Andrew Caya
  • 914th Airlift Wing
NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. --  "As military medics, we are focused on saving lives through treating and healing fellow servicemembers; it' s great to see that a 914th Airlift Wing Reservist helped save lives though the defense of his fellow Airmen," said Lt. Col Cheryl Knight, 914th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron commander.

While performing Charge of Quarters door guard duty on November 21, at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, 914th AES Technician Student Airman 1st Class John Schmidt was approached by another Airman entering the dorm. While presenting his I.D. to Schmidt, the Airman asked him "What would you do if I had a grenade?"

"At first I thought it was a joke," said Airman Schmidt.

However, after seeing the device and the Airman sprinting up the stairs, Airman Schmidt took control of the situation.

"At that particular time the information I was presented with offered potential for something bad to happen," said Schmidt. "I acted on the facts and followed through with it- I went after him, couldn't find him, and then went over bomb threat procedures."

Schmidt notified CQ personnel and military training leaders on duty that there was a grenade in the building. The staff immediately began executing the bomb threat checklist and evacuated the dorm.

Office of Special Investigations detectives, and the extraction team arrived on scene and began setting up their Command and Control Center out of the facility where they could monitor the areas needed for apprehension of the rogue Airman and safe extraction of the grenade. Once they located the Airman, OSI made contact and requested that he surrender himself and the device.

According to witnesses, after the initial shock of seeing the extraction team, the Airman was very cooperative in his submission to the authorities.

It was discovered that the grenade in the Airman's possession was simply a novelty item.

"I wish this incident didn't happen while I was on duty, but I am glad I reacted to it and everything fell into place," said Airman Schmidt.

After graduating from his training, Airman Schmidt will be stationed at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, where his future squadron is eager to add him to their ranks.

"I was very excited to hear that one of our younger troops used his knowledge and abilities to handle this incident," said Knight. "We are very proud of his actions; and I am very much looking forward to working with him."