Ground Safety Award of Distinction - Monthly Award Winners - Brief Article

Combat Edge, March, 2002

On Oct. 5, 2001, at 7:00 p.m., A1Cs. Ted Rossman and Travis Turnbow were heading east on Interstate 10 approximately 40 miles east of Defuniak Springs, when they came across a semi-truck traveling approximately 75 miles per hour. They noticed sparks coming from the trailer's left rear axle. Rossman, upon seeing the sparks, pulled along side the truck as Turnbow attempted to get the driver's attention.

They managed to get the driver to pull over to the interstate shoulder. They informed the truck driver of the dangerous situation with his wheels. Upon further investigation, they discovered the tires on the left rear axle were blown and the axle was twisted at an unsafe angle. They assisted the truck driver by escorting him to the next exit, which was a few miles away. The clear thinking and decisive actions of A1Cs. Rossman and Turnbow prevented the truck driver from possibly losing control of the vehicle and causing a major accident.