On Friday during a ceremony at the state capitol, Governor Riley presented the soldiers from the Alabama Army Guard’s Detachment 1, 2101st Transportation Company with the Alabama Commendation Medal. The medal is awarded for meritorious and outstanding service and accomplishments.

The soldiers were on a bus on Interstate 20 returning from drill at Camp Shelby, Mississippi on July 12 when a bus in front of them carrying members of the First Baptist Church of Shreveport, Louisiana suffered a tire blowout and rolled over three times.

Coming upon the crash site almost immediately, the Alabama Guard members lifted the 30-passenger bus so trapped victims could be freed. The Guard members also directed traffic and provided medical assistance to the injured until local emergency personnel could arrive on the scene.

“What you did symbolizes what is best about our country. When you saw people who needed help, you did what you could, you did all that you could, without thinking of yourself first. You used your military training to help save lives and care for the wounded. You took action not to be heroes, but to serve others,” Governor Riley told the soldiers.

The Governor said it was an “act of Providence” that the Alabama Guard members were travelling not far behind the church bus when the accident occurred. Not only had they been trained in providing emergency medical help, the soldiers had also been trained in how to upright an overturned vehicle. That training allowed the Guard members to save lives that day.

Governor Riley contrasted the soldiers’ actions with the terrorists the Guard unit is preparing to confront when it deploys next year in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“Nothing crystallizes the differences between us and those we fight in this war on terror than that incident on Interstate 20 last month. The terrorists we fight kill innocents. They don’t save them. The terrorists have been taught there is a ‘right’ way to die. We’re taught that there is a right way to live,” said Governor Riley. “The difference is enormous and it’s why we will win this war. And because of your service, that day of victory will come sooner. Because of you, the march of freedom will continue.”

Greg Hunt, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Shreveport, led a delegation of church members to Aliceville earlier this month to thank the soldiers for their actions. “We believe it was truly a miracle that they were traveling on the same highway as our bus,” Hunt was quoted as saying in the Demopolis Times on August 21.

The bus was carrying 17 teenagers and six adults who were headed to a camp in Georgia when the crash occurred near Meridian, Mississippi.

The Associated Baptist Press on July 13 quoted Hunt as saying “there are kids and adults who are alive today” because of the Alabama Guard soldiers’ assistance.