A first lieutenant assigned to the 20th Space Control Squadron has been recognized for risking his life to save three people at Miramar Beach in Florida last March.
First Lt. Dominic Vicino was awarded the Airman’s Medal, the Air Force’s highest non-combat award, during a ceremony Jan. 10 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Last March, Vicino noticed two people waving their arms in distress approximately 100 yards offshore on a day when swimming was prohibited because of “dangerous wildlife and life-threatening riptide conditions,” according to an Air Force press release.
He immediately dropped his belongings, ran to the water, and swam through the violent tide to carry the two to shore. Vicino, 24, then returned to rescue a lifeguard in distress.
The young officer credits 15 years of water polo and the Air Force Academy’s water survival training for his strong swimming skills.
Lt. Col. Raj Agrawal, the 20th Space Control Squadron commander, said Vicino exemplifies the military’s core values.
“Vicino didn’t earn this medal so much for his efforts as much as his character,” Agrawal said. “It was his character that compelled him to disregard his personal safety for the safety of others.”
