CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – “I heard the loud pop and thought, ‘there’s no way someone just got shot in Yuma,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric Dodson, a hospital corpsman attached to the Arizona-based Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 (Forward).

The Monroe, N.Y., native earned the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal in a ceremony aboard Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Feb. 17 for his life-saving actions following a shooting aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., last September before the squadron deployed.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” said Dodson.
Dodson was walking toward the base enlisted club with a fellow corpsman when the shot rang out.

“I came around the building and saw two guys pulling [the victim] out of the car,” explained Dodson.

According to Dodson’s award citation, the young corpsman immediately took control of the situation and began performing life-saving first aid.

Dodson explained that he didn’t have his medical bag with him, so he used anything available to treat the wounded Marine. Another Marine on site provided a combat life saver bag, which Dodson used to control the bleeding.

The corpsman continued treatment, with the help of his fellow corpsman and bystanders, for approximately seven minutes until emergency medical services arrived.

Despite his potentially fatal wound, the victim was listed in “critical, but stable condition” upon arriving at a local emergency room.
“[The patient] could have bled out then and there,” said Navy Lt. Tracy Lee, a surgeon with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 and Warner Robins, Ga., native. “He didn’t have to respond to [the shooting], but he voluntarily saved the patient.”

Having already distinguished himself before deploying, Dodson continues working to ensure the mental and physical well-being of the Marines in his squadron, as well as volunteering at the nearby Camp Bastion hospital trauma center.

“He’s one of the best corpsmen we have,” said Lee.

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