As we watch the troubling news out of Afghanistan, we continue to honor the courage that American service members demonstrated there for twenty years. One of those unforgettable veterans is Clint Romesha. Raised in California, Romesha followed his grandfather, father, and two brothers into the service. He joined the U.S. Army the day after his eighteenth birthday.

Two years later, the 9/11 attacks propelled the U.S. into war. After deployments to Germany and Korea, Romesha served two tours of duty in Iraq. Shortly after returning from that second tour, he and his unit were sent to Afghanistan and stationed high in the mountains at Combat Outpost Keating.

In October 2009, Romesha and his unit faced a massive enemy assault of 300 fighters. Under withering fire, Romesha rallied his men, devised a plan to counterattack, and led a heroic effort to recover the bodies of his fellow Americans. For his actions, Clint Romesha was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2013.