The bronze medal for act of courage and dedication for Sylvain Tahaia, 23 years old, sapper assigned to the 31st engineering regime at Castelsarrasin. The prefect of Haute-Garonne awarded this reward to the soldier by decree dated December 4, St. Barbara’s Day.
The Garonne at 7 or 8°C
On November 27, the soldier of Tahitian origin Sylvain Tahaia dove into the Garonne at the Saint-Pierre bridge to save himself from drowning. a young girl who threw herself into the river to end her life. General Christophe Bizien, commander of the engineering brigade, presented him with this distinction. At this time of year, the average temperature of the Garonne is around 7 to 8°C.
Established since 1971 in Castelsarrasin, the 31st engineering regiment has participated in numerous external operations such as in Afghanistan or Mali.
There are several levels of medals for acts of courage. The bronze medal is awarded when the rescuer has truly risked his life and when he has already obtained rewards for meritorious acts, this is often the case for the military. The gold medal is awarded to people who have repeatedly rendered exceptional services to their fellow citizens. However, it is generally only granted posthumously.
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