United States Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman escort new Vice President Kamala Harris in Wednesday’s presidential nomination, receiving his own standing ovation as he descended the stairs of the Capitol.

CBS News was the first to report that Goodman, who served as an infantryman in Iraq, is the new Acting Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms. He is credited with leading crowds of protesters away from the Senate chambers during the Capitol siege on January 6, in which five people died, including a Capitol police officer. Another policeman committed suicide a few days later.

Goodman left the military in 2006 after serving four years as an infantryman, military service spokesman Lt. Col. Gabriel Ramirez told Military.com on January 13.

Read more: Trump touts military achievements, space force training when he departs

He was deployed to Iraq with the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), from 2005 to 2006. His awards include the Army Medal of Honor, the Medal of honor of the army and the medal of good conduct of the army.

Last week, three members of the House introduced legislation recommending the Congressional Gold Medal for Goodman, whose actions were filmed. Shot by Igor Bobic, a political reporter for HuffPost, the now viral video shows Goodman trying to hold back the crowds before luring them away from the unprotected Senate chamber.

“I just realized how tight it was in the Senate. Literally seconds,” Bobic noted days after the video was posted, in which Goodman was also heard radioing with his colleagues to alert them to the location of the rioters.

“When Officer Eugene Goodman was the only thing between members of Congress and the mob, he selflessly redirected their fury at himself so they could escape,” said Rep. Nancy Mace, RS. .C., One of the co-sponsors of the bill. , said on Twitter last Thursday.

The Washington Post first reported on Goodman’s military ties. Several of his friends told the Post that Goodman was focused on “defusing the threat to lawmakers, not his own security.”

“I always said if the bullets started to pierce I would find Goodman,” a friend said. “He’s been in a hostile firefight so he knows how to keep a cool head. “

In a statement, Representative Charlie Crist, D-Fla., Another sponsor of the bill, said: “I shudder at what might have happened without the quick thinking and commitment of the Officer Goodman to his duty and his country. “

– Gina Harkins, Hope Seck and Richard Sisk contributed to this report.

– Oriana Pawlyk can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @ Oriana0214.

Related: Lawmakers push for Congressional gold medal for Capitol Hill police hero and army vet

View full article