Medal of Honor for Former Soldier

President Obama will present the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration, to Ryan M. Pitts, a former Army staff sergeant, on July 21, announced the White House on Monday. Obama will recognize Pitts for his conspicuous gallantry during an engagement with insurgents in Wanat in northeastern Afghanistan on July 13, 2008. On that day, Pitts was manning an observation post when his outpost came under attack. Despite taking grenade shrapnel in both legs and his left arm, and loss of blood, Pitts continued to fight and defend his position and his teammates, allowing US forces to hold the observation post and turn the battle’s tide, according to an Army release. Pitts will be the ninth living recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. He currently lives in Nashua, N.H.