I looked up PMEL on Wikipedia....

[apbrown]

Thank you RichieRich,

There were a lot of heroes there that day.   Several medical staff and other military members disregarded their own safety to help others.   I am glad I was there, and I am proud of my actions, but I was not the only one who acted.   I just happened to be the one who was armed and the one who got the media attention.

Thank you again,

Andy

[Colt45]

    So the shots were fired and hit the mark from 80 yards?
   
    Any comments on the FT hood incident since there are some similarities?

    Should military installations allow service member to be armed on base,

    Or at least positions armed MP's in the larger buildings?

[apbrown]

Colt45,

I confronted Mellberg on the street in front of the Hospital.   I dumped my bike, drew my weapon and and knelt on one knee as I put him in my sights and ordered him to drop his weapon.   When he did not comply, and fired in my direction I returned fire.   

I did not think he was that far away, however I remember his body was nearly obscured by my front sight when I was preparing to fire.

The Sheriff's department, after determining how far my weapon threw its discharged brass, and where the gunman fell, estimated the distance between me and the gunman to be 68 and 71 yards.   It has been generally accepted as 70 yards.   I fired four rounds, and hit him with two of those.   One in the shoulder, causing a superficial wound, the other hit on the nose, entering his head through the corner of his left eye.   The bullet passed through his upper brain causing what expert say is an electrical storm in his nervous system.   It instantly ended his homicidal actions.

I believe in the right of the individual citizen to be armed in order to defend self and others.   I don't think I want to live in a society where armed guards need to be posted around every building or at every street corner.   The police can not be everywhere, when ever they are needed.   

I believe responsible, trained, gun owners are one part of the answer to America's crime problem.

I can tell you this, a "Gun Free Zone" such as a military base, or school, does not prevent any crime.   The only thing it does, is give an assurance to criminals that they will be safe, until the police arrive.

Andy Brown

[RandyWick]

Very interesting reading this. . . had heard the story many times in my 4 years of service. 

Thank you Andy Brown, for everything!

[Bill the Cat]

I was one of Dean Mellberg's instructors in PMEL school.    I identified him to my Army supervisor as a person I thought clearly needed some mental health help.    Instead I was told to let him go because he had a 98 grade point average and would be out of school soon enough.    I regret I let it go at that point to this day.    If he had been identified and helped earlier, things may have turned out differently (perhaps he would have killed me).    The lesson I learned from this experience is if you are in a postion in the military where you think someone may need some mental health help, make sure they get it.    Don't stop until they see some doctors.    We have far too many tragic examples in the military where people have been killed where the investigation after the fact concludes a lot of people knew help was needed, but nobody wanted to rock the boat.    The Ft.   Hood incident is just the latest in a long string of sad stories.    

Yes, Melberg obviously had many problems before he even entered the miliary and the system should have identified him much earlier in the process (probably never should have been allowed in).    There is a grain of truth in most of the postings as I was around and involved in a supervisory capacity duing his tenure at Lowry.    Again, thank you to Sgt.  Brown.    It happened just as he says and many are alive today that would not be if it weren't for him.    There is no need to challenge his marksmanship (why does anyone care as long as he fulfilled his duty).    I can remember this incident in amazing detail as I have regrets to this day many lost their lives and God allowed me to keep mine even though I didn't step up when I thought I should have.    

[apbrown]

I do not think anyone should blame themselves for Mellberg's actions.

A lot of people second guess what they did or did not do.   But, Mellberg was identified to mental health professionals several times during his time in the Air Force.   He continuously evaded discharge and slipped through the system.   He was seen by mental health at Basic.   I heard he was referred at Lowry also.   He was seen at Fairchild and they saw something wrong and sent him to Wilford Hall.   He got past them and went to Cannon AFB where he was seen again by mental health and they discharged him instead of getting him treatment.
  So even if you had fought harder to get him seen, it most likely would not have changed anything.

There are more people than you might imagine who are bothered to this day, wishing they would have done something differently.   There are also a lot of people still struggling to cope with the tragedy.   They have a lot of questions, yet unanswered.   As do I. 
I am writing a book about the Fairchild shooting and am finding it therapeutic.   I think it will help everyone who is still troubled by the incident and Dean Mellberg.
  I am researching Mellbergs history, talking with people who knew him in High School, Basic Training, Tech School, Fairchild, Wilford Hall, and Cannon.   I am learning a lot, but I need your help.

I would like to learn more about what you remember about Dean Mellberg while he was at Lowry.   Also what PMEL tech school was like in general.

If you would like to learn more about my efforts to help and memorialize those who were at Fairchild that day, you may visit a website I created.   www. fairchildhospitalshooting. com

I look forward to corresponding with you.

 
Andy Brown