AUGUST 8, 2025 — When gunfire erupted at Fort Stewart Wednesday morning, Aug. 6, 2025. Soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division responded with the swift precision and unwavering courage that has defined the “Dogface Soldier” legacy for generations. Five Soldiers were wounded when Sgt. Quornelius Radford opened fire on his coworkers, but the rapid response of his fellow Soldiers likely prevented a far worse tragedy.
All victims are in stable condition following the 10:56 a.m. shooting that prompted immediate lockdown protocols. Radford, 28, an automated logistics sergeant, was quickly subdued and taken into custody after using his personal handgun in the attack at the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area.
The response exemplified the 3rd Infantry Division’s motto “Rock of the Marne” — Soldiers who stand firm under fire and protect their own without hesitation.
1st Sgt. Joshua Arnold of Bravo Company, 703rd Brigade Support Battalion. 2nd ABCT, witnessed the Dogface spirit firsthand as Soldiers immediately shifted into life-saving mode.
“Everyone from Staff Sgt. Taylor to the combat medics coming down to help administer first aid … I think everybody reacted appropriately,” Arnold said. “No one froze, no one lost their composure. Everyone maintained their bearing.”
Arnold praised Sgt. Aaron Turner, Alpha Company, 703rd Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd ABCT for his decisive action in stopping the shooter from harming additional victims, calling him “an outstanding noncommissioned officer.” Three combat medics immediately began treating the wounded, embodying the Soldier’s Creed to never leave a fallen comrade.
Staff Sgt. Melissa Taylor, a career counselor, demonstrated the adaptability that defines the Dogface Soldier. Hearing gunshots while checking her email, she didn’t hesitate.
“I heard him yelling about the smoke, and I saw a Soldier on the ground,” Taylor said. “Immediately, (I) just started running to the Soldier.”
Drawing on her background as a former combat medic and emergency medical services worker, Taylor’s muscle memory kicked in.
“I have seen gunshot wounds before. So I just kind of had that experience, I knew what to do.”
Her response embodied the Dogface mentality of adapting to any situation.
“We’re supposed to protect each other from foreign and domestic situations. So it didn’t matter if the threat came from us, you still treat it like it’s a threat.”
Even as the unit processes the trauma, Taylor emphasized the resilient spirit that has carried the 3rd Infantry Division through two world wars and countless deployments.
“It is a tragic situation, but the mission doesn’t stop,” Taylor said. “We can always just be there for each other.”
Brig. Gen. John Lubas, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division, confirmed the shooter used his personal weapon and praised the immediate response that contained the threat within minutes.
“We have six incredible Soldiers behind us, but this is just representative of the larger formation,” Lubas said. “When we spoke to the surgeons in the hospital, it was clear that the actions they took from merely stopping the bleeding before they loaded up the ambulances and quickly evacuated to Winn Army Medical, certainly saved their lives.”
Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Daniel Driscoll, emphasized how the response reflected Army values.
“This is one of those moments where you should be incredibly proud to be an American Soldier. Your grit, your resilience, your training, took a terrible day and made it much less terrible than what it could have been,” Driscoll said. “The heroism shown under fire is something that we should all aspire to show. There are not a lot of institutions and not a lot of people like you that can go through what you did yesterday, and come back to work today and do P.T..”
The Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called the incident a “cowardly shooting” while praising law enforcement’s response.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he was keeping “the victims, their families, and all those who answer the call to serve in our hearts and prayers.”
The base’s 11:04 a.m. lockdown was lifted Wednesday afternoon after authorities confirmed no ongoing threat. FBI agents are coordinating with the Army Criminal Investigation Division as the investigation continues.
Fort Stewart, home to more than 10,000 people and the legendary 3rd Infantry Division, once again demonstrated that when crisis strikes, Dogface Soldiers answer the call.
By Spc. Rebeca Soria