In December 2008, 10 soldiers from the 3rd Forces Group — including Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Shurer, a Washington State University graduate from Puyallup — received Silver Stars for valor during an April 2008 mission in the Skok Valley in Afghanistan. A Silver Star is the third highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the U.S. armed forces and the third highest award given for valor in the face of the enemy.
A U.S. Army medic, Shurer received his Silver Stars for valor for rendering aid to four critically wounded U.S. and 10 injured commandos under intense fire during combat in Afghanistan. At least twice, he dashed into the open to treat a wounded soldier.
Stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., Shurer earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from WSU in 2001. He is a 1997 graduate of Puyallup’s Rogers High School.
For more information about Sgt. Shurer and other soldiers who earned Silver Stars:
-Narrative accompanying the award of the Silver Star to Sgt. Shurer: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/12/army_shurerss_121508w/
-U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) biographical sketch of Sgt. Shurer;
http://news.soc.mil/releases/News%20Archive/2008/December/Bios/(edit)SSG%20Shurer%20bioSketch.pdf
-AP story. Details on soldiers awarded Silver Stars:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iOPTMY7IwRhp_hyRmdBgYCWwSXTAD9515LB80
– AP story. Silver Star record for unit in Afghan cliff clash: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081212/ap_on_re_us/ten_silver_stars
For additional information, contact: U.S. Army Special Forces Command Public Affairs Office, Fort Bragg, N.C., 910-432-4587
