President Trump will award the Medal of Honor to retired Navy Master Chief Special Warfare Operator (Sea, Air, and Land) Britt K. Slabinski during a May 24 White House ceremony, the White House announced.
According to official records, Slabinski earned the honor during a March 4, 2002 operation against al-Qaida forces in Afghanistan. As he led a reconnaissance team through a snow-covered mountain valley, he and his comrades came under fire by small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. Their helicopter was severely damaged and crashed, and one team member “was ejected from the aircraft” in the process.
Slabinski is credited with rallying his team in an attempt to rescue the man who fell from the aircraft. During the ensuing firefight, he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire in close quarters. The fight continued as long as they could manage, but in time they had to end it — until they could regroup from a safer position. Slabinski requested reinforcements and directed air strikes toward enemy positions. The following morning, as they withdrew from heavy mortar fire, he carried a seriously wounded teammate for a kilometer through the snow. He then helped treat casualties among his team for another 14 hours, while pursing the fight against the enemy attackers until the area was secured and they could be airlifted to safety.