‘Extraordinary’ Defense Health Agency civilian paramedic honored as a 2026 Angel of the Battlefield
Bradley Reddall, a paramedic with the 412th Medical Group at Edwards Air Force Base in California, is the Defense Health Agency civilian recipient of the Armed Services YMCA 2026 Angels of the Battlefield Award for his lifesaving actions in a motor vehicle accident just outside the base in 2024.
He was one of six recipients honored at the awards gala held in Arlington, Virginia, Sept. 23. The awards recognized military medical personnel and first responders for their lifesaving medical treatment and trauma care of service members, partner forces, and civilians at home and abroad.
“The civilian Angel of the Battlefield Award helps to shine a light on the extraordinary public servants we are fortunate to have in our Military Health System,” said Dr. David Smith, DHA deputy director. He noted the award represents a dedicated civilian workforce making up about 40% of DHA military medical personnel, contributing directly to warfighter medical readiness.
“Reddall embodies the selfless service that you find throughout our civilian workforce,” bringing the “dedication, selflessness, and ‘do whatever it takes’ attitude to care for the ill and injured that we often highlight with those serving on the battlefield,” Smith said.
Humbled by the recognition, Reddall said, “Civilian healthcare professionals bring experience and continuity to the military healthcare team … We work beside our military colleagues, share responsibility for the people we care for, and support the mission every day.”
“The uniform may be different, but the commitment to our patients and teammates is shared,” he added.
Equipped with training, Reddall responds to the call
In 2024, Reddall jumped into action when an accident occurred between a tractor-trailer and a car just outside the gate at on base.
When arriving on the scene, he found a 31-year-old woman in late-term pregnancy who was experiencing significant bleeding and intermittent loss of consciousness.
“I found her on the ground beside her vehicle, and she showed clear signs of shock and other serious, life-threatening injuries,” he said.
Reddall recalled how “DHA training — along with the many training opportunities I have received both inside and outside the military — prepared me to stay calm, assess the situation quickly, prioritize life-threatening injuries, and work effectively with fire, base personnel, and the flight crew.” The training he received ensures the medical force is as ready as the warfighters they treat, he underscored.
He assessed the crash victim and determined the possibility of a placental abruption. Reddall quickly focused on “hemorrhage management, spinal precautions, and expediting transport to definitive care.” Due to the severity of her injuries, he needed “to establish two large-bore IVs and to administer tranexamic acid,” a training he received at Edwards Air Force Base.
With the remoteness of the area, Reddall knew ground transport could delay the care she needed. “I coordinated a landing zone and rendezvoused with an air-medical helicopter, allowing for a faster transfer to the emergency department,” he recalled.
Reddall’s training with DHA provided an “emphasis on readiness, teamwork, trauma care, and maintaining clinical skills,” he said, while helping him make “time-sensitive decisions and providing the best possible care for both the mother and her unborn child.”
A career of focusing on the patient
Working in the emergency medical field for more than 20 years, Reddall started his career as an emergency medical technician, and progressed as a paramedic at Edwards Air Force Base and flight paramedic with the San Bernardino County Sheriff Air Rescue Team. He also serves as a faculty member at Victor Valley College, mentoring and assisting with curriculum development.
As a professor, he said teaching provides the opportunity to pass his experience “on to the next generation, helping EMT and paramedic students turn what they learn in class into sound decisions for real patients.”
Responding to the accident, Reddall said he leveraged his experience as a paramedic at Edwards Air Force Base as it gave him the “ability to make decisions in demanding environments and communicate closely with a team.” The successful rescue effort was demonstrative of how “effective response depends on people with different responsibilities working together,” he noted.
Reddall said his time with DHA “has made me a better clinician, instructor, and mentor,” while emphasizing, “good patient care is a team effort, and this recognition reflects the people I work with at the 412th Medical Group.”
“All of us here understand there are many ways to serve your country,” Smith said. “While the singular incident I highlighted today is memorable and important, we are grateful to have him on our team, each and every day.”
Additional recipients of the 2026 Angels of the Battlefield Award included:
After hearing gunshots outside his apartment June 5, 2023, Lieberman ran to an injured woman, identified the entrance wound, improvised a chest seal, provided treatment for shock, helped her maintain consciousness, and stabilized the victim until emergency medical services arrived.
As the sole U.S. medic on the ground when an enemy unmanned aerial vehicle struck March 12, 2026, Hernandez treated himself while directing care for the others. With minimal tools and telemedicine guidance, he administered fresh whole blood, performed a needle decompression, executed a blunt thoracostomy, and coordinated the evacuation of all casualties.
Collins responded to a victim of an accidental shooting Sept. 14, 2025, applying direct pressure with her knee and improving a tourniquet with shirts and a belt. She remained focused on the victim's care until responders arrived.
Witnessing an accident in which a sedan struck a cement beam Aug. 11 2025, Kaulfuss leveraged her emergency medical technician and Tactical Combat Casualty Care training to bandage lacerations, conduct a concussion evaluation, and continue to treat the victim until an ambulance crew arrived.
As the first medical responder during a flash flood July 4, 2025, Ruskan established mass-casualty triage process and prioritized extractions for hundreds of stranded campers and counselors. He served as the sole on-ground triage and evacuation coordinator, organizing medical care and directing air assets from federal, state, and Department of War agencies.
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