Kyle J White
Kyle J White was born on the 27th of March, 1987 in Seattle, Washington, and after joining the US Army on the 15th of February, 2006, attended and completed Basic and Advanced Individual Trainings at Fort Benning, Georgia, followed by Airborne School. He also completed the Combat Life Saver Course, Air Assault School, Infantryman Course, Primary Leadership Development Course, and Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leaders Course. In 2006, Kyle was assigned to the 2nd Battalion of the 503rd Infantry Regiment and was then deployed to Aranas, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in early 2007. It was on this deployment, during the Battle of Aranas, that Kyle’s actions would earn him the Medal of Honor. the citation reads:
Specialist Kyle J. White distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a radio telephone operator with Company C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on November 9, 2007. On that day, Specialist White and his comrades were returning to Bella Outpost from a shura with Aranas Village elders. As the soldiers traversed a narrow path surrounded by mountainous, rocky terrain, they were ambushed by enemy forces from elevated positions. Pinned against a steep mountain face, Specialist White and his fellow soldiers were completely exposed to enemy fire. Specialist White returned fire and was briefly knocked unconscious when a rocket-propelled grenade impacted near him. When he regained consciousness, another round impacted near him, embedding small pieces of shrapnel in his face. Shaking off his wounds, Specialist White noticed one of his comrades lying wounded nearby. Without hesitation, Specialist White exposed himself to enemy fire in order to reach the soldier and provide medical aid. After applying a tourniquet, Specialist White moved to an injured Marine, similarly providing aid and comfort until the Marine succumbed to his wounds. Specialist White then returned to the soldier and discovered that he had been wounded again. Applying his own belt as an additional tourniquet, Specialist White was able to stem the flow of blood and save the soldier's life. Noticing that his and the other soldier's radios were inoperative, Specialist White exposed himself to enemy fire yet again in order to secure a radio from a deceased comrade. He then provided information and updates to friendly forces, allowing precision airstrikes to stifle the enemy's attack and ultimately permitting medical evacuation aircraft to rescue him, his fellow soldiers, Marines and Afghan Army soldiers. Specialist Kyle J. White's extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade and the United States Army.
Kyle suffered a mild traumatic brain injury from the RPG explosions and carried bullet fragments from the AK-47 round that shattered on a rock in front of him through 2014. In 2008, Kyle was assigned to the 4th Ranger Training Battalion at Fort Benning and left the Army in May of 2011. He went on to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 2013. On the 13th of May, 2014, Kyle J White received the Medal of Honor from President Obama in a ceremony at the White House.
