In positive news, a helicopter co-pilot stood outside on the wing of his Apache helicopter to give room for a severely wounded soldier, who had been waiting 40 minutes for a medivac. This daring decision during a firefight saved the soldier’s life. A few choice quotes below the fold:

Chief Warrant Officer-4 Kevin Purtee and Chief Warrant Officer-2 Allen Crist, two Apache helicopter aviators flying their last combat mission, are credited with assuring a Soldier of Company A, 1st Battalion, 77th Armor, of prompt medical care by their actions. The Soldier had been shot in the face and the arm, and needed to be evacuated from a raging battle near Donkey Island in Ramadi.

The pilots learned that more than 40 minutes had elapsed since the ground unit had called for the medical evacuation aircraft to transport wounded Soldiers to the hospital at Camp Ar Ramadi. Chief Purtee, from Houston, Texas, was the pilot, which is commonly referred to as the “back-seater.” Chief Crist, from Warrensburg, Mo., was the copilot/gunner, or “front-seater.” Chief Purtee asked Chief Crist if he felt comfortable giving up his seat for the critically-wounded Soldier for the quick flight back to the camp.

“Absolutely,” Chief Crist emphatically answered. Chief Purtee made the decision that to save the Soldier’s life, Chief Crist would fly on the wing of the aircraft on the way to the hospital.

He risked his life both from incoming fire, and plain standing outside the aircraft. And saved a man’s life. What’s that worth? A Bronze Star? A Silver Star? Whatever. Dude kicks ass.