He should be posthumously awarded the Army Soldier’s Medal or Air Force Airman’s Medal, for heroism not involving enemy conflict. It wasn’t clear whether he was AROTC or AFROTC. The term “hero” is too casually used today. Not for this young man. He knowingly risked his life to save others, tackling someone was was armed, dangerous and clearly willing to shoot to kill. That took tremendous courage and presence of mind. Small comfort for his family, but he was clearly a young man worth knowing.
Though his is not a combat death, he showed a warrior spirit, and I’ll salute him with the excerpt from Lawrence Binyon’s poem, “For The Fallen,” that is often used as a toast:
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. “