A Fort Jackson soldier steps in just in the nick of time to save three soldier's lives as well as his own.
Last July Staff Sgt. Mario Amaro stepped into a live grenade pit during a training exercise when the soldier with him made a wrong move.
"She got up we did the proper grip all holds procedure and when i told her to throw she turned towards bay three and was about to throw the grenade," said Amaro.
Doing so would've set off the grenade in a bay of her fellow soldiers instead of the open field infront of her, but thanks to Staff Sgt. Amaro knocking the grenade out of her hand everyone was safe.
" I slapped it (the grenade) out of her hand it fell between us, I picked her up safe from the grenade and as soon as I hit the ground it blew up."
Amaro is an infantryman and performs the drill daily but did not see that incident coming.
"I wasn't thinking about it happening out here because I'm here with soldiers so I didnt think that stuff like that would happen."
Fellow soldiers say if it weren't for Staff Sgt. Amaro's quick response the situation could've been worse.
"If he didn't get the soldier out and himself they couldve both been severly injured," said Staff Sgt. Orlando Soto.
Soldiers train with dummy grenades every day but must throw a live grenade in order to complete their training.
Soto said, "We rehearse different scenarios; well what if this happens and what if that happens that's also apart of the certification as well."
Amaro received the soldiers medal for his actions, which is the highest honor for heroism in a non-combat incident.
He says he's proud to receive the award, but he's just glad everyone else lived to see another day.
"I just thank god nobody got hurt. The award is good but as long as my battle buddies arent hurt," said Romaro.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWACH