Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Officer Charles E. Horton was presented with a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation for Meritorious Civilian Service during a ceremony here, Jan. 22.

Brig. Gen. Edward D. Banta, Commanding General, Marine Corps Installations West/Marine Corps Base, presented Horton, a patrol officer with the Marine Corps Police Department, Security and Emergency Services Battalion with the award for saving the life of an infant.

Horton responded to a call for medical assistance in the San Onofre housing area in August of last year.

Arriving on the scene, Horton found a family in panic. Horton remained calm and assisted in the birth of an infant. The child wasn’t breathing. Horton then performed CPR on the newborn until the boy took his first breath, saving the infant’s life.

 “It was a huge sigh of relief,” Horton said. “The parents could calm down, knowing their child was going to be okay.”

The citation for his award reads: “Officer Horton maintained composure in the midst of anxiety and demonstrated that the newborn was in capable hands. Officer Horton remained on the scene, attending to and reassuring the family until Paramedics arrived on the scene and transported mother and child safely to the Naval Hospital for further care.”

“I am very honored,” said Horton. “We do a lot of training to handle any situation and to see it all come into play made me proud.”

The Military Police Department is responsible for law enforcement and physical security activities, protecting and serving all who reside on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.