President Obama this month will award the Medal of Honor to a Navy SEAL involved in a December 2012 rescue of an American doctor held captive by the Taliban, according to a White House statement. Navy Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Byers will receive the award on Feb. 29, and will become the 11th living service member to receive the honor for actions in Afghanistan. The White House did not provide details of the operation. USA Today reported Byers was part of a team that rescued Dr. Dilip Joseph, the director of a faith-based nonprofit, on Dec. 9. During the rescue, Byers reportedly protected Joseph from Taliban fire. One SEAL, Petty Officer 1st Class Nicolas Cheque, was killed in the operation. Byers, 36, was born in Toledo, Ohio, and joined the Navy in 1998. He also has received Bronze Star with Valor devices and two Purple Hearts, among other awards.
NASA Boss: Race to Moon Has National Security Stakes
Sept. 15, 2026
NASA is pushing hard to get astronauts back to the moon by 2028—and the urgency is driven in no small part by the national security implications of doing so before China does, Administrator Jared Isaacman said Sept. 15.
