19th Special Forces Group Green Beret Awarded the Silver Star

(Proud mother Jennifer Sargent and her son Staff Sergeant Michael Sargent)

19th Special Forces Group Green Beret Awarded the Silver Star

By: Kevin R. Flike

Staff Sergeant Michael Sargent (cue the Sergeant Sargent jokes) was awarded the Silver Star last week for heroic actions in Afghanistan last year.  In addition to being an American badass, Mike is also one of my dearest friends.  Mike and I were fraternity brothers at Union College in Schenectady, NY, with me being two years ahead of him (I am like the older brother that Mike never wanted).  After graduation in 2008, Mike enlisted in the Army and two years later earned the Green Beret.  Mike and I were re-united when he was assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group.  After I was wounded, Mike was always there for me.  No matter what was going on, if I needed something, he dropped everything to help me out.  I would not be where I am today if it was not for him.

After deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines and multiple SE Asian countries, Mike left active duty and joined the 19th Special Forces (National Guard) while pursuing an Executive MBA at the University of Virginia – Darden School of Business.  After Mike’s first year of school, he un-selfishly put his education on hold to deploy with his company to Afghanistan in the summer of 2015.   The following text is the narrative to Mike’s Silver Star citation from that deployment.  Mike is incredibly humble, and would kill me if he knew I was doing this.  Luckily, his father sent me the narrative and picture.   Great work buddy, I am so proud of you and happy you are still with us. DOL

NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF

THE SILVER STAR

TO

STAFF SERGEANT MICHAEL D. SARGENT

Staff Sergeant Michael D. Sargent, United States Army, heroically distinguished himself in the face of the enemies of the United States of America with exceptionally valorous conduct as the Forces Engineer Sergeant for Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha 9114, Advanced Operations Base-South, Special Operations Task-Afghanistan, on 17 December 2015 during Operation FREEDOM’S SENTINEL in support of RESOLUTE SUPPORT Mission. During the early hours of 17 December 2015, SSG Sargent heroically distinguished himself as an assault team leader during a clearing operation in Khan Neshin Valley, Reg-e Khan District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The Commandos belonging to the element that SSG Sargent accompanied as a mentor entered a courtyard adjacent to their objective and were involved in a brief firefight resulting in two casualties. The Commandos’ reports were unclear as to whether their comrades were deceased or wounded but informed the mentors that the area was cleared. SSG Sargent entered the courtyard as part of a four-man element to assist with the recovery of the Commandos believing that the area was secure. After locating the two Commandos and verifying that they were deceased, the element came under intense automatic weapons fire at very close range from firing positions in a structure adjacent to the courtyard. During the initial burst, two team members received gunshot wounds to their upper extremities and immediately exited the courtyard, leaving SSG Sargent and another team member alone in the courtyard.   With total disregard for his safety, SSG Sargent moved to the casualty closest to his position, retrieved the body and dragged the deceased soldier out of the courtyard under a hail of gunfire. Upon exiting the courtyard to relative safety, SSG Sargent returned into the courtyard without hesitation and recovered the second body and aided the remaining teammate still under fire. The structure containing the firing positions began to burn, resulting in large secondary explosions. Again with total disregard for his safety, SSG Sargent moved through intense enemy fire and secondary explosions and employed two hand grenades into the fighting position to cover the withdrawal of his team members. The insurgents attempted to assault out of the fighting positions and SSG Sargent and his remaining teammate dispatched five enemy combatants. Once the intense firefight had subsided, SSG Sargent reestablished communications with the detachment leadership. SSG Sargent’s actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect distinct credit upon himself, the Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, the NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan/Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan, and the United States Army.

Learn more at:

stage.woundedbywar.com
Facebook: Wounded by War
Twitter: @woundedbywar

After graduating from Union College (BA), Kevin R. Flike served as a Special Forces Engineer assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group and deployed to the Philippines, Thailand and twice to Afghanistan. On September 25, 2011 during his second deployment to Afghanistan, he was shot in the lower abdomen and was medically retired due to his injuries. In the spring of 2016, Kevin completed dual masters degrees from the MIT Sloan School of Management (MBA) and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (MPA). Kevin is currently employed within the financial industry in Boston, MA.