FACES OF THE FORCE

摘要

Tech. Sgt. Michael Walker received the 2021 Air Force Sergeants Association William H. Pitsenbarger Heroism Award, an annual recognition to an enlisted member who has performed a heroic act, on or off duty, resulting in the saving of life or the prevention of serious injury. Walker was credited with helping save the lives of 28 people while off-duty in 2020 during an active-shooter incident in the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, Ariz. Walker was having dinner with friends when he noticed people running outside the restaurant, followed by the sound of multiple gunshots. He ran to the entrance to barricade the doors where he stood some 10 to 15 feet from the shooter. "All I could think about was locking the doors and getting people safely inside," Walker said. He guided the staff and customers into the kitchen to hide, told them to barricade the doors, then retrieved the keys to the restaurant's front doors and Walker exited the building to close garage-like rolling security doors from the outside, putting himself at risk.