The U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory staff attended a farewell luncheon July 28 at Ruby Tuesday's restaurant in Enterprise, Ala. in honor of Sgt. 1st Class Tamekia Carter, the departing Senior NCO Command Advisor. While farewell comments and gifts were being presented to Carter in the dining area, the restaurant manager was experiencing left shoulder/chest pain while at his desk, at the rear of the restaurant's kitchen. Upon his collapse, a loud cry for help ensued from the kitchen staff; in response, Carter, Sgt. 1st Class George Spann, Staff Sgt. Eduardo Alegria, Sgt. David Allen and other USAARL staff came rushing to the stricken man's assistance. By the time they arrived at the back of the kitchen, the gentleman was not breathing, had no pulse, and was unconscious. Carter immediately took charge of the situation, directing her team of Soldier-medics initiating and sustaining full CPR, continuing over a period of 8+ minutes, during which period a nearby automated defibrillator was utilized in an attempt to revive the stricken man. Once the local EMT ambulance crew had arrived at the scene, she coordinated a comprehensive patient turn-over with them, establishing the fact the patient had now recovered a heart-beat and spontaneous breathing, although still unconscious. The gentleman is still alive at the local Enterprise Hospital.

Carter departed the Aeromedical Research Laboratory to attend Florida A&M University as an ROTC cadet and enroll in their Bachelor of Science in Nursing program July 30.