Special Agent Ronald J. Shurer, who enlisted in the Army shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, will be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions as a medic during combat actions in Afghanistan, in April 2008.
"As a Soldier in the U.S. Army, then Staff Sgt. Shurer defended our entire nation and our freedom," said Director of the Secret Service Randolph D. Alles. "Today, he continues that service as a special agent in the Secret Service, where he defends both our nation's financial well-being and our highest leadership. He brings to us the same sense of duty and honor to country that he demonstrated as a Soldier. His Secret Service family could not be prouder of him as he prepares to receive this honor."
In April 2008, Shurer served as a medical sergeant with the 3d Special Forces Group (Airborne), Special Operations Task Force - 33, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan. His unit was in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Shurer's actions in Afghanistan, April 6, 2008, initially earned him a Silver Star. That award will be upgraded to a Medal of Honor, which he will receive during a ceremony at the White House on October 1.
While in Afghanistan, Shurer and his unit came under attack by enemy fire. With complete disregard for his own safety, Shurer fought his way up a mountain in order to render aid and evacuate casualties from his operational detachment and Afghan Commandos.
Shurer was initially pinned at the base of a valley by insurgent sniper fire, rocket propelled grenades, small arms, and machine gun fire when he received communications that the
forward assault element could not move due to a high volume of insurgent fire. The element had also sustained multiple casualties.
Following receipt of that news, Shurer took off through a hail of bullets and began scaling the rock face to get to those casualties.
During initial movement to the base of the mountain, he treated a teammate who had been wounded as a result of RPG fire. That teammate had been blown off his feet by the fire and suffered shrapnel to his neck.
Once his teammate received aid, Shurer moved an additional several hundred meters while under fire. For more than an hour he fought his way toward the besieged location of his teammates, killing multiple insurgents along the way.
Under intense insurgent fire, Shurer reached the pinned down element of his operational detachment and rendered aid to four critically wounded U.S. service members and ten injured Afghan Commandos.
Shurer treated multiple life-threatening gunshot wounds until additional teammates arrived. Additionally, Shurer courageously exposed himself by running 15 meters through heavy insurgent fire to render aid to his seriously wounded team sergeant.
Despite being hit in the helmet and wounded in the arm by insurgent sniper fire, Shurer pulled his team sergeant to a covered position, and rendered aid as insurgent rounds impacted inches from their location.
Without hesitation, Shurer moved back through heavy insurgent fire to treat another teammate that suffered an amputation of his right leg from insurgent sniper fire.
Shurer rendered life-saving aid to four critically wounded casualties for more than five and a half hours. As the lone medic at the location, and almost overrun and fighting against nearly 200 insurgent fighters, Shurer's bravery and poise under fire saved the lives of all wounded casualties under his care.
Later, Shurer evacuated three critically wounded, non-ambulatory teammates down a near vertical 60-foot cliff, despite being under heavy insurgent fire and having to avoid falling debris from numerous air strikes.
As part of his efforts that day, Shurer ingeniously used a six-foot length of nylon webbing to lower casualties, and physically shielded them from falling debris to ensure their safety.
Shurer will receive the Medal of Honor during a ceremony at the White House. President Donald Trump will present him with the medal.
A follow-on ceremony at the Pentagon will permanently enshrine Shurer's name on the wall of the Hall of Heroes there, alongside the names of nearly 3,500 others who have also earned the Medal of Honor.
Shurer began his career with the U.S. Secret Service in September 2009 and was assigned to the Phoenix Field Office. He was later selected for the Secret Service’s Counter Assault Team where he currently serves in Washington, D.C.
Shurer is the second U.S. Secret Service employee to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
WHITE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-award-medal-honor-5/
-- United States Secret Service