Soldiers who stopped the mass shooter at Fort Stewart in Georgia on Wednesday have already received recognition for their courage and quick thinking.
A sergeant, reportedly Quornelius Radford, is accused of wounding five people at the Army fort yesterday when he used his personal firearm to attack fellow military personnel. Six unarmed soldiers tackled the shooter and managed to subdue him before also rendering assistance to the wounded. Today, the six soldiers who subdued the sergeant and helped the injured received Meritorious Service Medals.
Our Fort Stewart Heroes from left to right are: 1st Sgt. Joshua Arnold, Master Sgt. Justin Thomas, Staff Sgt. Melissa Taylor, Staff Sgt. Robert Pacheco, Sgt. Eve Rodarte, and Sgt. Aaron Turner. pic.twitter.com/NChMjGszcC
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) August 7, 2025
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll gave out the awards to the soldiers at a press briefing held at Fort Stewart on Thursday. “They are the best among us in our country. They are the best among us in the Army,” Driscoll praised the soldiers. “They acted in a way that I think all of us hoped we would under fire, but they did. We are just so incredibly proud of them. We are so grateful for them.” He also relayed the grateful praise of President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Vice President JD Vance.
“The fast action of these Soldiers under stress, under trauma, and under fire absolutely saved lives from being lost.” — @SecArmy Dan Driscoll on Fort Stewart heroes. pic.twitter.com/JMI0PEDMCv
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) August 7, 2025
As of right now, none of the wounds the shooter inflicted were deadly, and Driscoll stated, “One of the things that I can say unequivocally is that the fast action of these soldiers under stress and under trauma and under fire, absolutely saved lives from being lost.” Three of the soldiers injured have reportedly been released from the hospital, but altogether three of the five had to undergo surgery.
Related: Mass Shooting at Army’s Fort Stewart
Task and Purpose had more reported details on the awardees:
Master Sgt. Justin Thomas, a senior enlisted maintenance supervisor and Sgt. Aaron Turner, an automated logistical specialist, worked together to restrain the shooter.
1st Sgt. Joshua Arnold, a senior enlisted maintenance supervisor, helped stop the bleeding of a wounded soldier while Staff Sgt. Robert Pacheco and Sgt. Eve Rodarte, both combat medics, provided critical medical care. Staff Sgt. Melissa Taylor, a career counselor, helped “secure the scene” for emergency services to transport wounded soldiers to the hospital.
The Meritorious Service Medal, which the soldiers received, was established originally in 1969 and is awarded for “outstanding achievement or meritorious service,” according to the U.S. Air Force’s website.
Related: Honoring Purple Heart Day
Coincidentally, the award ceremony occurred on Purple Heart Day, honoring those who received our nation’s oldest military honor for being wounded or killed in combat.
The United States military is full of brave heroes ready to jump into action to save lives, whether here at home or overseas.
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