WASHINGTON – The father of Army Sgt. 1st Class Monti, who posthumously received the Medal of Honor, remembered his son today as a person defined by selflessness.
Monti, then a staff sgt, was killed June 21, 2006, after making several attempts to rescue a fellow soldier wounded while battling Taliban insurgents in Gowardesh, Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan.
“I think Jared received more in his life than anybody I can think of, but he never got anything for himself, because no matter what we sent him, he gave it away,” Paul Monti said, referring to the care packages his son received, the contents of which he routinely doled out to Afghan kids.
“In the end,” the soldier’s father continued, “he gave his life for someone else.” Monti risked his life on a rocky ridge in Afghanistan, where his 16-man patrol found itself under attack by 50 Taliban. He quickly called in artillery support when he noticed that one of his soldiers was wounded and in danger. He twice braved massive enemy rifle and rocket fire in attempts to reach his wounded comrade, lying on the ground some 20 yards away. Forced to turn back both times and taking shelter behind a rock, he decided to give it another try, but was killed in that final attempt.
Those fateful decisions earned him a posthumous promotion to Sgt 1st Class and the Medal of Honor that Pres. Obama presented to the heroic soldier’s family at a White House ceremony.
Friends, family and fellow soldiers from the 10th Mtn Div’s 3rd Sqdrn, 71st Cav, 3rd BCT, were on hand, as Defense Dept and military leaders once again honored Monti, and added his name to the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes.
Army Secretary Pete Geren recounted tales about Monti’s childhood where he is remembered for the selflessness and humility he displayed even as a young man. “From his earliest days, Jared had a heart for the needy and less fortunate,” Geren said. “At age 17, he learned of a family who didn’t have a Christmas tree, so he chopped one of the trees down in his own front yard and gave it to that family.”
“The Afghan kids knew Jared by name,” Geren said. “‘Mr. Monti’ they called him – and they would rush up to him whenever he came by.”
Monti’s name will appear alongside the 3,447 other troops to receive the Medal of Honor, since Congress established the highest military decoration in 1862.
