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Instinct leads reservist to thwart escape

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jay Ponder and Mr. Jeff Melvin
  • 908th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MAXWELL AFB, Ala. --  "He just looked suspicious," remarked Staff Sgt. Otis T. Luke, referring to the Iraqi detainee he prevented from escaping from a medical facility. 

Sergeant Luke was awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal in late-December for thwarting a detainee's escape attempt while deployed to Iraq last summer. 

Sergeant Luke, 908th Aeromedical Staging Squadron's NCO in charge of the immunizations clinic, worked as a medic in the emergency department in the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. While on duty, he sensed something wasn't right with a patient he was working with. 

Most medics might have tucked that gnawing suspicion away and pressed on, but Sergeant Luke isn't a typical medic. In civilian life, he's a 12-year veteran of the Birmingham Police Department. 

Some might see a bit of incongruity between his two dissimilar jobs. However, he sees none at all because it turns out that medicine "is and always will be my first love," the sergeant said.
 
Luke was a premed student in college before money woes prompted him to join the police force. When he joined the Air Force Reserve six years ago, the sergeant chose the medical technician career field versus the security forces (a more obvious choice). Now a college senior he plans to pursue a nursing career after his police retirement.
 
His two careers came together in this instance. Certain he had treated the patient previously but under a different name, he passed his suspicions to superiors. Cautioned by his superiors that they couldn't act on suspicions alone, he did something that comes naturally, police work.
 
He diligently searched the admissions records and found proof that the patient, a high-value asset with a history of violent attacks against coalition forces, had switched ID badges with another detainee scheduled for an early release the next day
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Col. Brett J. Clark, 908th Airlift Wing commander, said he was proud of Sergeant Luke's vigilance and situational awareness, remarking "Sergeant Luke's attention to detail and situational awareness saved the day. In this case, he foiled the escape of a dangerous terrorist who was bent on striking and killing the innocent."
 
"He certainly deserves to be called a hero in my book," the commander added. 

Sergeant Luke's certificate accompanying his achievement medal read, "Sergeant Luke's attention to detail and quick action prevented the inadvertent release of a potentially dangerous individual and further risk of attacks on American service members." 

Interestingly enough it turns out that the patient had cleverly concealed the fact that he spoke fluent English until he was about to be transported back into custody via helicopter and quipped, "I almost got away." 

The sergeant although pleased by the recognition tried to deflect the praise. "I was just doing my duty; It was the right thing to do," he said. 

Though he doesn't consider himself a hero he's pleased that he represented his fellow reservists admirably. He said he and many of his deployed reservists opened some eyes by blending in seamlessly and performing beyond reproach.