{"id":42363,"date":"2019-03-12T19:14:40","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T19:14:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/03\/12\/this-soldiers-son-will-receive-his-medal-of-honor-this-month\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:44:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:44:17","slug":"this-soldiers-son-will-receive-his-medal-of-honor-this-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2019\/03\/12\/this-soldiers-son-will-receive-his-medal-of-honor-this-month\/","title":{"rendered":"This soldier\u2019s son will receive his Medal of Honor this month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

President Trump is upgrading a fallen soldier\u2019s Distinguished Service Cross<\/a> to the military\u2019s highest valor award <\/a>at a White House ceremony on March 27, according to a Tuesday release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

S<\/a>taff Sgt. Travis Atkins<\/a>\u2019 son <\/a>Trevor will accept the award on his father\u2019s behalf, the release said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStaff Sergeant Atkins\u2019 heroic actions, at the cost of his life, saved the lives of three of his teammates,\u201d according to the release, when he tried to thwart a suicide bomb while deployed to Iraq in 2007.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atkins was patrolling near Abu Sarnak with D Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, according to his award citation, when his squad detained and began to search a group of suspected insurgents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHowever, one insurgent resisted and engaged Staff Sergeant Atkins in hand-to-hand combat,\u201d the citation said. \u201cAs Staff Sergeant Atkins attempted to subdue the man, he realized the insurgent was attempting to trigger a suicide vest which he wore under his clothing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atkins tackled the bomber, pinning him to the ground and trying to shield his own soldiers from the blast. He was originally posthumously awarded the DSC for his actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was Atkins\u2019 second deployment to Iraq, on his second enlistment. He had originally joined the Army in November 2000, getting out in 2003 after one deployment with the 101st Airborne Division, according to the White House release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He went back on active duty in 2005, the release said, after returning home to Montana to attend college,<\/p>\n\n\n\t