CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. --
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.