“‘For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty,’ these are the words that begin every Medal of Honor citation our nation’s highest and most prestigious military decoration. They are uncommon, but not as uncommon as the actions and sacrifice detailed in the narrative summaries of those awards,” Congressman Scott Taylor (VA-2) said when he took to the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday, May 24. He was speaking on behalf of retired Navy SEAL Master Chief Special Warfare Operator Britt Slabinski, who will receive the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump later today.
On March 3-4, 2002, in what became known as the “Battle of Roberts Ridge,” two Chinook helicopters carrying U.S. troops roared through the chilly air above an Afghan mountaintop when an unfortunate disaster struck. Rocket-propelled grenades and machine-gun fire ripped into one of the heavy aircraft as it approached its landing zone, ejecting a Navy SEAL Team 6 member, prompting a daunting rescue operation.
Warmly speaking about Slabinski, Taylor said, “He led his men back into the fight into overwhelming odds and superior enemy fire. There would be no element of surprise, there would be no tactical advantage, and, despite the odds and despite the risk, he chose to lead.”
“They took the fight to the enemy until it reached the brink of their own destruction. They did not run, they did not hide, they fought.”
Slabinski is credited with bravery in the face of fire from al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters on the snow-covered Takur Ghar mountain while leading his team in search of the missing Petty Officer 1st Class Neil C. Roberts.
In a report from The Washington Post, Slabinski gave an interview about being bestowed with the highest of honors.
“I’ll accept that medal with great humility, because all my guys followed me up the mountain that day, as did the aircrews that kept the flights coming, and the Rangers who came not because they knew us, but because they knew we were in trouble…In many ways I’m uncomfortable being singled out because when you wrap your head around that whole battle, every one of them deserved this medal. That’s no exaggeration.”
The incident, in which seven American soldiers, including Roberts, were killed, spawned studies at U.S. warfare schools, the 2006 book, Roberts Ridge: A Story of Courage and Sacrifice on Takur Ghar Mountain, Afghanistan, and even the 2010 video game Medal of Honor, all because of the mission’s dire nature.
Taylor, a former combat veteran said, “If you wear a uniform, you walk in the dark shadows of heroes everyday.”
“Bravery is not motivated by fear, rage, hate, or the desire for awards or recognition – bravery is motivated by love – love for an ideal, love for a country, and love for a teammate. Bravery is not a certainty; it is a choice.”
Taylor said the bravery, regardless of the men in women in uniform fighting on behalf of the U.S., ” is an example to every American.” The former Navy SEAL ended his speech by saying, ” long live the brotherhood.”
