First Army medic exhibits selfless service

FORT SILL, Okla. — Staff Sgt. Lizel Green was supposed to be focused on softball.

Green, an Observer Controller/Trainer medic assigned to 2nd Battalion, 307th Field Artillery Regiment, was returning to the practice on Aug. 18 when she encountered a two-vehicle accident near a Fort Sill gate.

Both vehicles’ airbags had deployed. One person was lying on the ground, two others were walking near the wreckage, and emergency responders had not yet arrived.

For Green, stopping was an automatic decision.

“As a medic in the United States, you are obligated to stop and help,” Green said. “I pulled off to the side of the road and jumped out to check on everybody.”

A junior medic who had recently left a range was already at the scene and had an aid bag available. Green quickly assessed the situation, directed the two walking patients to sit down, and turned her attention to the person on the ground.

Green asked the junior medic to obtain the patient’s vital signs while she evaluated his responsiveness. The patient told Green that he had struck his head on the vehicle’s window before the airbag hit him.

Recognizing the possibility of a head, neck or spinal injury, Green immediately initiated cervical spine precautions. She advised 1st Lt. Vaughn Moore, the All-Army Softball team’s physical trainer, to stabilize the patient’s head and neck while she conducted an assessment.

The patient remained alert and oriented, and Green found no apparent deformity along his neck or upper spine. He was responsive and knew the day and time.

“We call that alert and oriented times four,” Green said. “I had him stabilized and kept two people with him while I checked on the other patients.”

With bystanders already speaking to a 911 dispatcher and an ambulance en route, Green moved to the other two people involved in the crash.

One complained of wrist pain. The other was pacing, visibly shaken, and saying that he felt unwell. Green directed him to sit in an air-conditioned vehicle away from the accident and placed him with one of the coaches, who continued monitoring him.

Green moved between the three patients, reassessing their conditions until law enforcement officers and emergency medical personnel arrived.

When paramedics took control of the scene, she delivered a medical handoff that included the mechanism of the collision, each patient’s reported symptoms, the spinal precautions taken, and two sets of vital signs collected from the patient on the ground.

“One vehicle had been T-boned, and we had three patients,” Green said. “I explained that one was lying down and that we were holding C-spine because he said he hit his head on the window and then the airbag.”

The patient was placed in a cervical collar and transported for further evaluation. Green later learned that the individuals involved in the accident were doing well.

Once she completed the handoff and confirmed that the paramedics did not need anything else from her, Green returned to the softball field and finished practice.

Her quick response and medical care were recognized by Col. Michael A. Hamilton, commander of the 157th Infantry Brigade, who later presented Green with the Army Commendation Medal for her actions at the scene.

The transition from providing emergency medical care back to competing on the softball field may seem abrupt, but Green said her eight years of Army service, including time working in an emergency room and deploying, taught her how to focus on the mission immediately in front of her.

“It’s having the ability to be that Soldier-athlete,” Green said. “Once you cross those lines and get onto the field, it’s game time. I’ve had to learn over the years how to turn it off and on and compartmentalize some things.”

The Fort Sill accident was not the first time Green’s responsibilities as a medic followed her onto the athletic field. During a previous tournament, a player suffered a deep cut to his forehead while attempting to jump over a fence.

Green heard someone call for a medic, grabbed her aid bag, and ran to assist. She cleaned and treated the wound, coordinated emergency care, transferred the patient to responding medical personnel, and then returned to her game.

“That’s done, here we go, next,” Green said. “What is the next mission, or what is the next play that is going to happen?”

Green has represented the Army through the All-Army Sports Program for the past two years, an opportunity that began while she was stationed in Germany.

Although there was no women’s softball team at Baumholder, Green initially found an opportunity to play with a men’s team before connecting with Deborah Washington, a fitness facility manager and coach of the Ramstein women’s softball team. Through Washington, Green learned about All-Army Sports.

“I had no idea All-Army Sports was a thing,” Green said. “It’s a great program because not only are you doing something for the sport you love, but you’re doing it for the military. You’re being a leader.”

The All-Army Sports Program allows Soldiers from the active Army, Army Reserve, Army National Guard, and Active Guard Reserve to compete for positions on Army teams while retaining their rank, unit, and military mission. Depending on the sport and level of competition, selected Soldiers may compete against athletes from other military services or represent the Army in national and international events.

Soldiers interested in participating submit an application for their chosen sport and coordinate with their leadership before applying. Athletes selected during the application process may be invited to a trial camp, where they compete for a position on the final roster.

For women’s softball, Green said her trial camp began with 25 athletes competing for 15 roster positions. During the 20-day camp, the athletes trained and competed in tournaments across Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, while coaches evaluated their performance and made roster cuts.

Beyond competition, Green said the program gives Soldier-athletes opportunities to engage with local communities, mentor younger players, and represent the Army.

“We would talk with high school softball teams and support the local communities,” Green said. “It’s just a great feeling.”

Whether she is evaluating and mentoring Soldiers as an OC/T, treating a patient along the side of a road, or representing the Army on a softball field, Green relies on the same ability to remain composed, assess the situation, and act.

For her, the uniform and the jersey represent interconnected responsibilities rather than separate identities.

“I plan on playing as long as I can,” Green said. “It’s something I want to be involved in every year that I can.”

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