MARCH 12, 2026 – The White House posthumously awarded the nation’s highest military decoration to a national hero of Poland, March 2.
President Donald Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, from Staten Island, New York, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2013 while shielding a wounded Polish soldier from a suicide bomber.
The award was presented to Michael’s parents, Robert and Linda Ollis at the White House in Washington, D.C. In conjunction with the Medal of Honor, the Ollis family was also invited to the Polish Embassy in Washington after the ceremony. Polish officials, including representatives from the President’s Chancellery, bestowed the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland to Staff Sgt. Ollis, which was accepted on behalf of his family. It is one of Poland’s highest state decorations, awarded to foreigners (or Polish citizens living abroad) for exceptional service or contributions.
Ties between the United States and Poland remain strong, particularly at Camp Kosciuszko, located in the Polish city of Poznan. It is home to V Corp’s Forward Headquarters, supported by United States Garrison Poland. On the camp, Ollis’s name lives on through the shared tales of heroism between U.S. and Polish servicemembers.
Sergeant 1st Class Kevin Aleckna, the senior operations noncommissioned officer in charge for USAG Poland, continues to work with the U.S. Army’s Polish Allies to keep Ollis’s memory alive on the installation.
“Michael’s service and actions that day encompass everything that the Medal of Honor represents,” said Aleckna. “Many Soldiers and citizens in Poland know who he is and the story about his sacrifice. It is amazing that the Polish officer he saved that day was able to speak at and attend the award ceremony. It goes to show how closely connected the U.S. and Poland really is.”
Ollis, 24, of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light), was killed Aug. 28, 2013, during a Taliban attack on Forward Operating Base Ghazni. Insurgents detonated a vehicle-borne explosive device to breach the perimeter, then launched a coordinated assault with suicide vests and small-arms fire.
Without body armor and with limited ammunition, Ollis moved to aid Polish Land Forces Lt. Karol Cierpica, who had been wounded by shrapnel. As an insurgent wearing a suicide vest advanced, Ollis positioned himself between the bomber and the Polish officer, firing on the attacker before the vest detonated. The explosion killed Ollis instantly but saved Cierpica’s life.
He was initially awarded the Silver Star, which was upgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross in 2019. Ollis, who joined the Army after the 9/11 attacks and completed two prior deployments, is survived by his family in New Dorp. A grassroots effort in Staten Island, including memorials and a freedom foundation in his name, has kept his legacy alive for more than a decade.
On Camp Kosciuszko, the story of sacrifice and courage lives on through the shared tales of heroism, and how a U.S. Soldier committed an extraordinary action to save the life of a fellow Ally. Together, Polish and American servicemembers remember his sacrifice.
Story by Sgt. Devin Klecan
U.S. Army Garrison Poland