MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --
Jayson A. Altieri, Air University assistant professor and faculty member with the Eaker Center’s Leadership Development Course for Squadron Command, and Civil Air Patrol Alabama Wing senior member, was recently awarded the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol Bronze Medal of Valor. John Desmarais, CAP chief operating officer, presented the award to Altieri during the annual CAP Alabama Wing Conference in Huntsville, Alabama, April 12, 2025.
Altieri received the second highest CAP award for valor for distinguished and conspicuous heroic actions where danger to himself was known in attempting to render first aid and assistance to victims of a fatal three-car accident on March 8, 2021, on Highway 31 near Prattville, Alabama.
Altieri and retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Neal Moore, 25th Aerial Port Squadron air transportation specialist, were the first on the scene during their morning commute to Maxwell Air Force Base. Both assessed the danger as one of the three wrecked vehicle's engine was already on fire and spreading toward injured victims in the same vehicle. Altieri suppressed the fire with his personal vehicle fire extinguisher, while Moore attempted to extricate a passenger from the burning vehicle through the jammed passenger door window. Once Altieri extinguished the fire, he assisted Moore with prying the jammed passenger door open and pulled one person from the smoking wreckage.
Assessing the victim’s needs for first aid while Moore worked to extract the vehicle driver, Altieri immediately performed CPR. Altieri spent approximately 10 minutes doing single-person CPR on the male victim, continuing despite personal exhaustion and a severe back sprain that required later medical treatment.
Although physically exhausted, Altieri continued giving CPR until Prattville Police Officer Owen Etienne arrived. With the assistance of Officer Etienne, they performed two-person CPR on the accident victim for another 10 minutes. More Prattville and Autauga County first responders arrived and immediately assisted and stabilized the victim on a backboard before moving him to the hospital. Unfortunately, it was discovered later that none of the accident victims survived the crash.
“[Altieri and Master Sgt. Moore] stepped up to help when others would not, and that alone speaks volumes of their service, not only to our country but also to their caring of another human being,” said then Prattville Police Chief Mark C. Thompson. “Mr. Altieri selflessly and heroically suppressed a vehicle fire and performed CPR on a victim in the middle of a COVID-19 Pandemic, where surface contact, much less mouth-to-mouth contact, would expose a rescuer to the biological contamination of the COVID-19 virus, or other life-threatening dangers.”
The award citation read, “Mr. Altieri distinguished himself through these conspicuous heroic actions, at the possible risk of injury and illness, going above and beyond the call of normal duty, while representing the image of Civil Air Patrol to the community at the highest level possible. His actions reflect great credit upon himself, the Alabama Wing, and the Civil Air Patrol.”