Simulation to Street: How Madigan Training Prepared a Soldier to Save Lives on I-5

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Washington — What began as a routine commute to work on October 5 quickly became anything but routine for Sgt. 1st Class Jeff… JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Washington — What began as a routine commute to work on October 5 quickly became anything but routine for Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Hytower. Hytower, a practical nursing specialist assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center, was driving to Joint Base Lewis-McChord when he encountered the aftermath of a serious vehicle crash on Interstate 5 near DuPont, Washington. Seeing that help might be needed, Hytower turned around, activated his hazard lights and found a safe location to stop. “I just jumped up, it was just instinct,” Hytower said.

“That’s when training kicks in.” As he approached an overturned SUV, Hytower quickly realized the emergency extended far beyond injuries from a vehicle collision. He saw a woman, presumably from the accident, wielding a knife and attacking her two children. “Once I saw the knife… I was just trying to isolate that knife from anyone trying to cause harm,” Hytower said. Fortunately, Hytower was not alone. Other service members independently stopped to help, quickly forming an ad-hoc team on the shoulder of the interstate. Sgt. Ricardo Nunez, assigned to the 7th Infantry Division, assisted Hytower in disarming and restraining the woman. Washington National Guard