By Robert Johnson
Managing editor

The fast actions of a noncommissioned officer on Range 31 prevented a disaster, Jan. 22, when a private going through the training dropped a live hand grenade into the throwing pit.

Staff Sgt. Steven Logston, Combat Training Company, Training Support Battalion, was recognized for his fast and heroic actions during a ceremony Friday on the range.Col. Tommy Mize, 1st Engineer Brigade commander,  presented an Army Achievement Medal to Logston for his fast response to a potentially deadly situation.

“What Sgt. Logston did that day engrained in every private that was in that unit that courage and selfless service are part of the Army values. His reaction to a dropped grenade prevented serious injury to the Soldier in training and himself,” Mize said. “His actions are something that every private there will never forget.”

Logston described the events of the day when Company E, 35th Engineer Battalion was conducting hand grenade training.

“We take the Soldiers through the mock bay and see how they are going to react. They get to throw a couple practice inert grenades there, and we (instructors) can judge who is nervous and who may have problems at the live bay,” Logston said.

“Pvt. Tatajana Johnson had thrown a couple times fine. She wasn’t nervous or anything that would alert us to a problem in the live bay,” Logston said. “When we got to the live throw, her grenade didn’t clear the wall.”

“I instinctively shoved her out of the bay and then got myself out of there. I had a hand on her, in case she tried to jump and run, which could have happened,” he said. “The grenade rolled back against the concrete wall and my Individual Body Armor took either some shrapnel or concrete pieces, but I was OK … and so was she,” Logston said.

With his fellow range instructors present and wife, Stephanie, looking on, Logston was presented his medal.

“Couple of the other NCOs have also had close calls. It’s not something we look forward to, but it is something we have to be ready for,” Logston said.