8 Seconds of Courage

by Flo Groberg

  While humbled by the Medal of Honor’s significance and the responsibility it carries, the greatest honor of my life will always be having served beside heroes like Command Sergeant Major Kevin Griffin, Major Tom Kennedy, Major David Gray, and Foreign Service Officer Ragaei Abdelfattah.

  When my time comes, I cannot wait to see you guys again.

  EPILOGUE THE NEXT MISSION

  After the Medal of Honor ceremony, I followed President Obama back into the green room, where the president, the Gold Star families, and I took dozens of pictures together.

  One moment I will always treasure from that day was watching the president play Rock, Paper, Scissors with David and Heather Gray’s kids. The smiles on Nyah’s, Garrett’s, and Ava’s faces—along with Heather’s and mine—lit up the room.

  Once our pictures were taken, President Obama said goodbye and retired back to the Oval Office while I played guest of honor at the reception, where I was finally able to sit and rest my aching leg. I probably took over five hundred pictures and shook just as many hands over the next couple of hours.

  After we left the White House, I went back to the hotel and had a few drinks with my closest friends and family. I was relieved that the day was over while also beginning to truly appreciate its full significance.

  I was not only a recipient of the Medal of Honor, but had just become a member of one of the world’s most exclusive societies. At the same time, I was still Flo. I didn’t grow any wings or become wiser; I was now just responsible for much more.

  The following day, I spoke at a Pentagon auditorium in front of our nation’s military leaders, including the Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter. I must admit that I was nervous to be inducted into the Pentagon’s storied Hall of Heroes, but I spoke from the heart while highlighting fellow American soldiers who meant the world to me, including my entire August 8, 2012, team, General James Mingus, and SFC Korey Staley.

  “Today I stand in front of you as a proud American, grateful to have been given the opportunity to serve and wear the colors for our country in a time of war,” I began. “I was blessed to be surrounded, trained, mentored, led, and followed by some of our nation’s greatest warriors.”

  Early in the speech, I asked SFC Staley to stand up. After the audience applauded, I told them how much his guidance meant to me during those very first days in Afghanistan.

  “He talked to me. He listened to me. He taught me,” I said while looking toward Staley. “He was the NCO you need as a young officer in order to become successful. Most importantly, he allowed me to be the right leader at that time to bring home our boys.”

  Next, I turned to SFC Brian Brink, for whom the audience also applauded.

  “He was there with me—to my right, to my left, in front of me, to the rear—at all times,” I said of Brink before offering my sincere thanks.

  Later in the speech, the audience applauded the rest of my August 8, 2012, teammates when I asked them to stand and be recognized. It was a special moment that they richly deserved, as I told the Pentagon audience.

  When you deploy and you’re in combat, these individuals become your brothers and you will do anything for them. And you all are.

  Mahoney . . . I never had to worry about Mahoney. Mahoney squared me away quite a few times. He was sarcastic at times; a typical sergeant who looks at a lieutenant. You’d ask him to do something and he’d do it with a little smirk.

  I had Balderrama, who I owe my life to, as well as with Brink. Balderrama saved my life. Simple. I would have died that day. I was bleeding out. He kept me awake; he gave me a tourniquet. For that, I can’t even say thank you. That’s not enough.

  Secor and Ochart. PFCs. Unbelievable. Guys who go into Afghanistan young and so proud, and you tell them “Hey, I need you to do this.” On that day, I switched everything. I told Ochart “Hey, you’re no longer at the top of the diamond, you’re at the rear of the diamond, and if something happens, you take the colonel down and you take him to safety. I don’t care what he says to you. You are the boss now.” And all he said was “Roger that, sir.” And he did that.

  Secor. “Hey Secor, I’m going to need you to move to the front with Brink even though the entire tour you’ve been next to Command Sergeant Major Griffin.” He looked at me, didn’t like it, and he said “Roger that, sir.” And he moved up there.

  I am so proud of you guys. It’s an honor to have served with you. And you are brothers for life, and I love you guys.

  Last, but certainly not least, I thanked the boss.

  “The way he led made everyone want to be better,” I said of General Mingus, who was in attendance. “His personality made our job easy.

  “I would have and still would, lay down my life for you, sir,” I continued. “Thank you.”

  When I said the names of our four fallen brothers, their names echoed through the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes.

  On August 8, 2012, our country lost four incredible Americans. Four men who made the ultimate sacrifice. Four individuals who changed lives around them for the better. Four true heroes for which this Medal of Honor belongs. I carry it in my heart, I carry it on my body, I carry it in my soul every single day. I miss them and I understand that my responsibility in this world is to now live through them and live for them and their families, and to be better.

  Just like the day before at the White House, the audience clapped for the Griffin, Gray, and Kennedy families, as well as the Abdelfattahs, who were always in our hearts.

  “The biggest fear I always had when I came back from Afghanistan—I had two,” I said to the Gold Star families. “First was that you would not accept me because I was not able to bring everyone home.”

  I then turned to General Mingus.

  “And second, that I could no longer do my job and bring you home, sir,” I said to my boss. “I wanted that job and I wanted to be there until December but I couldn’t do it anymore. These were the two demons I lived with.”

  Turning back to the families, I dug even deeper to speak from my soul.

  But what you represent, the Gold Star families, is everything of what America is. Though I’m here today and your loved ones are not, they are here in spirit with us. They are in my heart, they are in every one of my guys’ hearts, every single person who was involved that day, they are with them and their families. But you still came to support us, you still came to support me, and you still came to support each other. This honor is yours. All yours. This medal: I carry on my body, but it is yours. It is for you. And I mean it from everything inside of me.

  Holding off tears, I took another deep breath, strengthened my resolve, and was ultimately able to finish my remarks.

  “Thank you for being you,” I said to the Griffins, Grays, and Kennedys. “And I love you.”

  And then, just like that, it was all over.

  I soon retreated to my room, packed my belongings, and went home with Carsen. We spent the night at home before we took off the next day for a monthlong Medal of Honor tour across several American cities.

  Our first stop was New York, where I rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange and made an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Our next stops were Chicago, where I joined the Steve Harvey show, and then Los Angeles for a segment on the NFL Network.

  During the trip, we started every morning at 5:30 with appearances on different news programs such as Fox & Friends and Morning Joe. During the day we would visit the NYPD, FDNY, World Trade Center, Chicago Police Department, the Anaheim Fire Department, and many more. Those visits meant so much to me and ended up being the highlight of my travels because I got to spend time with some of our country’s finest, who generally do not get the same credit as those who serve in the military. They should.

  During this trip, I connected with some dear, lifelong friends, including Eric Fanning, Ben Masri-Cohen, Robert Couture, Tamara Young, Tony Mottola, John Glotzbach, Pablo Araya, and Adam Gase. I also began to truly understand what the Medal of Honor meant to so
many people. The responsibility was real and seemed daunting at times, but this was part of my new reality. I embraced it.

  I had the opportunity to close my travels with a few days back in Colorado Springs visiting the troops at Fort Carson and spending time with the Mingus and Griffin families. Being so close to Christmas, this trip meant a lot to me.

  Following the holidays, I went back to work for the Department of Defense. Though I was no longer in the position that I previously held because of the prominent nature of the Medal of Honor ceremonies and media exposure, it felt good to be back at work with a daily routine.

  Over the course of the following months, I noticed that I had an opportunity to make a deep impact in the community by bringing awareness to the problems our veterans and their families face when they transition out of the military and back into civilian society. Therefore, I partnered with my good friend Greg Call, who led the veterans mission at LinkedIn, to embark on an amazing year-long ride. With the help of Dan Savage, Nick Bartle, and Joshua Mitchell, we created numerous commercials, campaigns, and educational videos highlighting our veteran community and what vets bring to corporate America and the education sector. I also wrote quite a few articles about my struggles and what led to my success.

  Today, Greg works for Amazon, Nick works for Pandora, and Dan is leading the veterans mission at LinkedIn. I’m glad to know our work will continue to impact all of these companies, and more, as we continue pursuing our careers.

  Although not what I expected to be doing, my new career is a blessing. I am now a member of the Boeing Company, where I am part of a team that consists of more than 22,000 self-identified veterans. Since joining the company, I have been amazed at how much time our employees—veterans and civilians alike—spend in our local communities.

  Through programs and partnerships with great organizations like the National Park Service, the USO, The Mission Continues, and RP/6 (now USO Transition Services), Boeing and its employees are driving positive, lasting change for our military and all who have served.

  Part of the Boeing mission is to protect our troops by providing them with the best equipment the industry can offer in order to safely and successfully accomplish the mission. My mission is to ensure that members of our military, veterans, and their families are taken care of back home. We accomplish this through programs that focus on transition, health, wellness, and volunteering, because we at Boeing know that this country will only continue to grow and prosper with our veterans helping to lead the way.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Flo Groberg

  I would like to thank all my friends and family who supported me before and after August 8, 2012. Foremost, I want to thank Saul, Sanders, and Brendan, who supported me throughout my recovery.

  I also want to mention my cousin Anthony, who is currently serving in the army of my native country, France.

  I want to send all my love to my mom and dad for always being there for me, whether in person or in spirit. My mom dedicated her life to me to make sure I would be successful. She loved me from first sight and I know that she would do anything for me. As a son that is the greatest gift you could ever ask for.

  My father is my hero. He sacrificed so much to make sure that I would succeed in this world. He advised me and occasionally let me fail, but was always there to give me a leg up. He has always loved me, and though he wasn’t created to demonstrate his feelings, he let me know anytime I ever needed it. He made me a man, and I consider him the greatest person that a boy could have asked for as a father.

  To Carsen, the woman who has stood by my side since our first date in October of 2014: Thank you for your support, unconditional love, and your strength. I could never repay you for what you have done for me when nobody was around to witness. You are my heart and soul. It is a fact that my life wouldn’t be this fruitful or joyful without you in it. You have closed gaps and opened my eyes to a whole new perspective. Today, I feel like the luckiest man in the world to be by your side. I still can’t believe that you accepted me so quickly and without any reservations when I proposed to you on December 28, 2016.

  Lastly, Carsen, I want to applaud you and thank you for all the work that you put into this book. You spent a lot of time analyzing, correcting, rewriting, and supporting 8 Seconds of Courage. It is only through your incredible talent and vision that my memories and feelings have been transformed into words. I love you.

  I do not consider myself a hero: I’m an American soldier who transitioned back as a civilian. Yes, I did receive the Medal of Honor, but it does not belong to me. I am merely a courier. The medal represents our nation’s finest individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice for our way of life, for our freedom. The medal represents the Gold Star families who must live with the consequences of a loved one who did not come home. This medal belongs to the United States of America—the greatest country in the world, day in and day out. This medal belongs to you. God bless our military and God bless America.

  Hooah.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Tom Sileo

  I vividly remember watching retired Captain Florent Groberg receive the Medal of Honor on the small TV in my home office. During President Obama’s speech, I was struck not only by Flo’s courage, but by the emphasis he had asked the president to place on telling the stories of his four fallen brothers.

  Ten weeks later, I decided to send Flo a direct message on Twitter. To be honest, I did not expect a reply, especially in the Medal of Honor ceremony’s whirlwind aftermath.

  I was wrong. After just three hours, Flo replied with his phone number. During our subsequent conversation, we arranged to meet for dinner in Washington, D.C., where we would be joined by Flo’s wonderful girlfriend (and now fiancée), Carsen.

  When we shook hands, I noticed that Flo was wearing the bracelet honoring his fallen teammates. As soon as we started discussing the possibility of writing a book, however, I realized that the bracelet wasn’t only on his wrist. It was wrapped around his heart.

  Before we finished dinner on that February night, Flo, Carsen, and I raised our glasses in honor of Kevin Griffin, David Gray, Tom Kennedy, Ragaei Abdelfattah, and their families. Soon after, we started working on 8 Seconds of Courage.

  Flo, I can never thank you enough for trusting me to help you tell this incredible story. Every day, you inspire me by being so selfless and humble in carrying out your life’s new mission to honor the fallen. My daughter will grow up learning about American heroes like you, Kevin, David, Tom, Ragaei, and your families.

  Carsen, I deeply appreciate your enormous contributions to this book. You are a talented writer, vigilant editor, and devoted fiancée to Flo. Congratulations on your engagement!

  Thank you to my loving and extremely patient wife, Lisa. As with the first two books, you encouraged me every step of the way, especially during those many months that I spent away from you and our beautiful daughter, Reagan. I love you both!

  To my father, Bob, my mother, Diane, her husband, Bruce, my sister, Lauren, and her husband, Mark: Thanks for letting me stay in your respective homes while I was in town working with Flo.

  To our phenomenal agent, E. J. McCarthy, thank you for your expert guidance and your faith in me. I look forward to working with you on a fourth book and spending many more hours on the phone talking baseball. You are the best!

  To Bob Bender and the entire Simon & Schuster team, thanks for believing in Flo’s story. Working with you has been a privilege.

  Most of all, I want to thank the Griffin, Gray, Kennedy, and Abdelfattah families, along with the many Gold Star spouses, parents, siblings, and children who have been willing to share their emotional stories with me through the years. Your strength is a constant source of motivation. Until my last breath, I will do everything I can to spotlight the heroism of your loved ones. Because of them and you, our country is free.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  FLO GROBERG was medically retired from Company B Warriors, Warrior Transition Batta
lion, as a captain in July 2015. He is currently the director of Veterans Outreach at Boeing in Washington, D.C., serving in this position since September 2016. He is responsible for developing and implementing a company-wide giving and engagement strategy for Boeing’s support of military veterans and their families, and will lead Boeing’s community engagement in the eastern United States. Prior to joining Boeing, Captain Groberg served as a spokesperson for LinkedIn, where he was responsible for the promotion of LinkedIn’s veterans program.

  Flo Groberg became a United States citizen in February 2001. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice as well as a master’s degree in management from the University of Maryland.

  TOM SILEO is an author, contributing senior editor at The Stream, and award-winning journalist who spent more than eight years working in local and national newsrooms, including CNN. He is the coauthor of two previous books, Fire in My Eyes and Brothers Forever. In 2010, Tom was awarded a Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship by The Fund for American Studies. In 2016, he received the General Oliver P. Smith Award for distinguished reporting by the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.

  Tom Sileo lives in Florida. He can be followed on Twitter @TSileo.

  MEET THE AUTHORS, WATCH VIDEOS AND MORE AT

  SimonandSchuster.com

  Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Flo-Groberg

  Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Tom-Sileo

  ALSO BY TOM SILEO

  Fire in My Eyes:

  An American Warrior’s Journey from Being Blinded on the Battlefield to Gold Medal Victory (with Brad Snyder)

  Brothers Forever:

  The Enduring Bond Between a Marine and a Navy SEAL That Transcended Their Ultimate Sacrifice (with Tom Manion)