When Aviation Structural Mechanic 1st Class(AW) Jerry Lego sat down for dinner Oct. 28 he did not anticipate that an otherwise mundane day would see him become a true hero.

While eating dinner in the Qatar chow hall, Lego noticed a woman choking and immediately sprung into action. He followed the choking patient protocol perfectly. First, he asked if the woman was “alright,” to which she shook her head side-to-side. Lego then asked if the lady could speak, to which she shook her head “no” again. Lego took swift and decisive action, telling the woman he was going to help. He calmly performed a model Heimlich maneuver and successfully dislodged the obstruction- a piece of potato. After asking if the woman was okay, Lego simply went on with his business.

The story is particularly ironic because the woman Lego helped was Lt. Col. Lois MacDonald, Commander of the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group Medical Operations Flight. MacDonald was especially impressed by how proficient Lego was and how he acted like his life-saving act was, “just another day at the office.”

Lt Col. MacDonald, a life-saver by trade, saw fit to award Lego with a certificate of appreciation on Nov. 1. “I am so very grateful for the actions of Petty Officer Lego,” she said, “As a medic myself, I have the deepest respect for his actions and reaction to the situation. He is truly a hero.”

Saving lives is not the only way that Lego has been getting attention lately. He has been the leading petty officer of his detachment supervising 33 maintenance personnel during surge operations. He personally planned VQ-1’s detachment site relocation, including detailing each individual pallet’s exact size and weight with remarkable precision.

His plans also consisted of coordinating the shipment of tools and pack-up-kits, ensuring that both detachment sites could operate independently by sharing manpower talents, tools, and qualifications.