![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/e\/ed\/Florent_Groberg_2015.jpg\/960px-Florent_Groberg_2015.jpg\")
\nCapt, U.S. Army \u2014 War on Terror<\/strong><\/p>\n Florent Ahmed Groberg was born on May 8, 1983, in Poissy, France. He became a naturalized United States citizen in 2001 and graduated from Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland, before earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland in 2006. Determined to serve his adopted country, he renounced his French citizenship and joined the United States Army in 2008.<\/p>\n Commissioned as an infantry officer, Groberg was assigned to the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colorado. He deployed to Afghanistan twice \u2014 first as a platoon leader in 2009, then in 2012 as the personal security detachment commander for Task Force Mountain Warrior, charged with protecting the brigade’s senior leaders.<\/p>\n On August 8, 2012, Captain Groberg was escorting a dismounted formation of senior coalition and Afghan National Army leaders on foot toward the provincial governor’s compound in Asadabad, Kunar Province. He noticed a man veer toward the formation with an abnormal bulge under his clothing. Stepping in front of one of the brigade commanders, Groberg rushed the man and used his body to shove him away, ordering a fellow soldier, Sergeant Andrew Mahoney, to help. He confirmed the bulge was a suicide vest \u2014 and with complete disregard for his own life, pushed the bomber to the ground. The bomber detonated outside the formation, killing four members of the patrol and wounding many others, including Groberg, who was thrown up to twenty feet, suffering severe injuries to his left leg, a ruptured eardrum, and a traumatic brain injury. The blast also caused a second, unseen bomber’s vest to detonate prematurely with minimal impact. Groberg’s immediate actions saved the lives of his comrades and several senior leaders.<\/p>\n After nearly three years of recovery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Groberg was medically retired in 2015. On November 12 of that year, President Barack Obama presented him with the Medal of Honor, observing that “on his very worst day, he managed to summon his very best.” Groberg later wrote about his experience in his book, 8 Seconds of Courage<\/em>, and continues to serve as a civilian employee of the Department of Defense.<\/p>\n Sources: Wikipedia<\/a> \u00b7 Congressional Medal of Honor Society<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n