Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Byers, U.S. Navy, will become the 11th living service member to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan when President Obama honors him on Feb. 29, the White House stated on Monday.
The 36-year-old Toledo, Ohio, native is being recognized for his part in the December 2012 rescue of an American civilian who was being held hostage in Afghanistan.
Byers joined the Navy in September 1998 and attended boot camp and Hospital Corpsman School at the Great Lakes base outside of Chicago, according to the White House. He later was attached to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He graduated from SEAL training in 2002 and in 2003 completed the Special Operations Combat Medic course.
Byers, a member of various SEAL teams based on the East Coast during his service, completed eight overseas deployments with seven combat tours.
He also earned two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star Medal with Combat V device, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor device, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V device and two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, among other distinctions and commendations.
He is a paramedic set to graduate from Norwich University with a Bachelor’s of Science in strategic studies and defense analysis.
