- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Fallen Soldier's Sister Describes "Bittersweet Validation" of Medal of Honor After 13 Years
Michael Ollis sacrificed himself to save others in Afghanistan, but his heroism was denied recognition until now.
Feb. 5, 2026 at 8:39pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The sister of Army Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis, who died in 2013 while shielding a Polish officer from a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, says the decision to award him the Medal of Honor 13 years later brings "bittersweet validation" after years of advocacy and government denials under previous administrations.
Why it matters
Ollis' story highlights the challenges military families can face in getting their loved ones' heroism officially recognized, even when their actions are widely known in their local communities. His sister's account also reflects the political nature of such high-profile military honors.
The details
Ollis was 24 years old when he was killed in Afghanistan in 2013, using his body to shield a Polish army officer during a suicide bombing attack. His sister, Kimberly Ollis-Losciavo, said her family had advocated for Ollis to receive the Medal of Honor since then, but were denied under the Obama and Biden administrations. It wasn't until President Trump reopened Ollis' case that the medal was finally approved.
- Ollis was killed in Afghanistan on August 28, 2013.
- In 2013, Ollis' sister wrote a letter to President Obama making the case for him to receive the Medal of Honor, but was denied.
- Ollis' file was reopened during Trump's first term, but closed again under Biden.
- President Trump recently reopened the case again, leading to the approval of the Medal of Honor.
The players
Michael Ollis
A 24-year-old Army Staff Sergeant who sacrificed himself to save a Polish army officer from a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2013.
Kimberly Ollis-Losciavo
The sister of Michael Ollis, who has advocated for her brother to receive the Medal of Honor for over a decade.
Barack Obama
The former President of the United States who denied Ollis' family's request for the Medal of Honor in 2013.
Joe Biden
The former President of the United States who also denied Ollis' family's request for the Medal of Honor.
Donald Trump
The former President of the United States who reopened Ollis' case and ultimately approved the awarding of the Medal of Honor.
What they’re saying
“Finally, he was validated for his actions after 13 years of really not being validated by the federal government.”
— Kimberly Ollis-Losciavo, Sister of Michael Ollis
“We decided to put together a foundation because we were so invested in our community, and to help other people to live like Mike. So, instead of mourning, we put ourselves to action, put ourselves to work... and our community and the foundation grew.”
— Kimberly Ollis-Losciavo, Sister of Michael Ollis
What’s next
The Ollis family plans to continue their advocacy work through the foundation they started in Michael's honor, which aims to help others live by his example of selfless service.
The takeaway
This case highlights the challenges military families can face in getting their loved ones' heroism officially recognized, even when their actions are widely known in their local communities. It also reflects the political nature of such high-profile military honors, which can be subject to shifting priorities across different presidential administrations.
