William Helms: “On April 26, U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Donald S. ``Steve'' Workman will be awarded the Soldiers Medal for his…”

“On April 26, U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Donald S. ``Steve'' Workman will be awarded the Soldiers Medal for his courageous actions at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. The Soldiers Medal is awarded to members of the U.S. Army who distinguish themselves by heroic acts that do not directly involve actual conflict with the enemy. When you hear Steve's story, I am confident that you will agree that his selfless actions indeed merit this award. As all of us vividly remember, a hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon on the morning of September 11, 2001. Instead of leaving the Pentagon, Steve risked his life by reentering the building to help other survivors. He struggled through intense fires, sparking electrical wires, and pools of jet fuel and eventually came upon Navy Lieutenant Kevin Shaeffer, who had been blown to the floor--by a gigantic fireball--from his desk in the Navy Command Center. After finding Kevin, Steve guided him through flames and dense smoke to one of the infirmaries inside the Pentagon. When they reached the infirmary, Steve realized Kevin was going into shock so he immediately elevated Kevin's legs using a trash can, loosened his belt, and gave him small drops of water. After helping a nurse administer an IV and painkiller, Steve grabbed a small tank of oxygen and led Kevin outside to wait for an ambulance.”