Staff Sgt. Kyle Bougeno, left, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Garza of the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, shown here Aug. 3, 2023, were recognized for rendering first aid to their driver in the Philippines on July 15, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps)
The 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment plans to recognize two of its Marines for rendering first aid to a Filipino driver during an exercise in the Philippines in July, according to a regimental spokeswoman.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Garza, 34, of Texas, and Staff Sgt. Kyle Bougeno, 28, of Missouri, both assigned to Marine Corps Base Hawaii, helped to quickly resuscitate their driver, who stopped breathing during a seizure, according to a Marine news release July 24.
Garza said he and a Filipino woman provided lifesaving CPR that stabilized Salvador, a middle-aged father of five, until he reached a local clinic.
The regiment plans to nominate the Marines for awards but no specifics were immediately available, spokeswoman 1st Lt. Annie Pentaleri said by email Aug. 4.
“I couldn’t be more proud of these Marines,” regimental commander Col. John Lehane said by email Aug. 3. Marines and sailors are willing to step forward “when a bad situation presents itself,” he said.
The Marines arrived on Luzon, the Philippines’ northernmost island, in early July for Marine Aviation Support Activity 23, an aviation exercise with Philippine forces, according to the release.
Several local drivers ferried the Marines daily from place to place, Garza, a communications officer, said by phone Aug. 4 from Hawaii. Salvador stood out by his pleasant demeanor and sharp sense of humor.
At lunch July 15, Salvador, his last name unknown to the Marines, came up to take a seat with about six Marines and the other drivers, Bougeno, an intelligence analyst, said by phone Aug. 4 from Hawaii.
“He didn’t make it all the way down,” Bougeno recalled. “He kind of slumped there, like he was frozen in place, and I asked if he was OK.”
Salvador struggled to breathe, Bougeno said. The driver clenched his teeth, foamed at the mouth and began to shake. Bougeno and the other Marines lowered him to the ground.
Bougeno cleared the driver’s airway and rubbed his chest to help him regain consciousness. The other Marines called for an ambulance and cleared the area.
A Filipino woman with medical training emerged and began chest compressions while Garza provided mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, Garza said.
After several rounds, the driver began to breathe on his own, he said. An ambulance took him to the clinic.
Salvador remained hospitalized for two days, with his wife by his side, and made a full recovery, Garza said. The Marines stayed in the Philippines another week before returning to Hawaii.
“It feels good knowing that I was able to do something to send somebody back to their family,” Garza said.
