Selflessness is one of the defining shared qualities among servicemembers. Upon joining the military, an individual makes a commitment to serve his or her country – an inherently unselfish act. During his service in Afghanistan, Kyle J. White, a former Army sergeant, exemplified selflessness in his efforts to save his teammates' lives while risking his own to do so. His gallantry will be formally recognized May 13, when President Barack Obama will award him the Medal of Honor.
Sgt. White's display of altruism
On November 9, 2007, White's team of U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers was ambushed by a Taliban group in Aranas, Afghanistan, according to Stars and Stripes. His team was at a significant disadvantage – the enemy force outnumbered them and was more heavily armed.
White recounted the incident to ARNEWS, stating that, "There was one shot, you know, down into the valley, and then it was two shots, and then it was full-automatic fire and rocket-propelled grenades … it was coming from multiple directions."
After an RPG explosion knocked him unconscious, White woke up to find that 10 members of his 14-person team were missing. They had been forced to find cover from enemy fire by sliding down a nearby cliff. Meanwhile, White realized that Spc. Kain Schilling – one of the four soldiers remaining on top – had been shot in the upper right arm. The two men found cover under a tree, and White applied a tourniquet to Schilling's wound to stop the bleeding. When Schilling was shot in the leg shortly afterwards, White came to his rescue again, using a belt as a makeshift tourniquet to wrap around Schilling's leg.
White also made valiant efforts to save the lives of Sgt. Phillip Bocks and 1st Lt. Matthew C. Ferrara, but unfortunately, both men succumbed to their injuries. Today, the surviving team members commemorate their sacrifices by wearing a stainless steel wristband with their names engraved on it.
White boasts an impressive resume
According to a White House news release, White will become the seventh living recipient of the Medal of Honor for service in Afghanistan or Iraq. The award will add to his already impressive list of accolades, which includes the Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal and the Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster.