Military Review English Edition March-April 2016 | Page 143

Capt. Florent A. Groberg
MEDAL OF HONOR
Afghanistan

C

apt. Florent A. Groberg, U.S. Army,
retired, was awarded the Medal of
Honor by President Barack Obama
during a ceremony held 12 November
2015 at the White House. Groberg received the military’s highest award for
valor for his actions on 8 August 2012 in
Kunar Province, Afghanistan.
On that day, then 1st Lt. Groberg was
commanding a personal security detachment designated to protect twenty-eight
coalition and Afghan National Army
(ANA) personnel, including two brigade
commanders, two battalion commanders, a
brigade command sergeant major, a battal(Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army)
Sgt. Andrew Mahoney and then 1st Lt. Groberg in Asadabad, Afghanistan, circa August 2012.
ion command sergeant major, and an ANA
battalion commander. Groberg was leading the
that Groberg “had the instincts and the courage to do
security formation on foot from Forward Operating
what was needed.”
Base Fiaz to the provincial governor’s compound in
The president also spoke of the four men who were
Asadabad, Kunar.
killed. “These four men believed in America”, he said.
As the patrol neared a small bridge, Groberg noticed a
“They dedicated their lives to our country. They died
man walking backwards toward the patrol. Thinking that
serving it. Their families—loving wives and children,
the man looked suspicious, Groberg yelled at him, and the
parents and siblings—bear that sacrifice most of all.”
man abruptly spun around and approached the patrol.
Groberg was inducted into the Pentagon’s Hall of
Groberg and his radio telephone operator, Sgt. Andrew J.
Heroes the day after the Medal of Honor ceremony.
Mahoney, moved to cut him off. As they pushed the man
During the induction ceremony, Secretary of Defense
back away from the patrol, Groberg noticed a bulge under
Ashton Carter praised Groberg and the other members
the man’s clothing and realized it was an explosive vest. The of the personal security detachment, citing many of
two soldiers physically drove the man away from the patrol them by name for their actions on 8 August 2012.
and onto the ground. When the man hit the ground, his
Carter said of Groberg, “At the moment of greatest
vest exploded, sending lethal ball bearings in every directesting, he made the most selfless and courageous choice
tion. The blast threw the two soldiers fifteen feet and left
of all: