Jared C. Monti: A Soldier’s Final Sacrifice in Afghanistan

A man in his camoflouge military uniform wearing a scarf around his neck. He is looking at the camera and has his hands in his pockets. Several mountains are visible in the background.

On June 21, 2006, deep in the rugged mountains of Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, Staff Sergeant Jared Christopher Monti faced a moment that would etch his name into history. Leading a small patrol of 16 soldiers, Monti found himself under siege by a far larger enemy force. In the chaos, one of his men lay wounded in the open, and Monti made the fateful choice to try and bring him home. He would attempt it three times—his final act of courage.

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Born in Abington, Massachusetts, on September 20, 1975, Jared was the son of Paul, a high school science teacher, and Janet Monti. Raised in Raynham, he grew up adventurous and determined, traits that hinted early at the soldier he would become. Stories from his childhood tell of him climbing trees despite migraines and slipping away from the yard at four years old, already showing the grit and curiosity that defined him. After graduating from Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School in 1994, Jared enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1993, launching a military career that spanned deployments from Kosovo to Afghanistan.

Monti trained as a fire support specialist and paratrooper, serving with the 82nd Airborne Division and later with the 10th Mountain Division. He earned his British Parachutist Badge during training in England and deployed to Kosovo in 1999 as part of Operation Joint Guardian. Despite injuries that might have led to a medical discharge, Monti refused to leave the Army. In February 2006, he deployed to Afghanistan with Task Force Spartan as the Fire Support Team Sergeant for the 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment.

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Four months later, his patrol was perched on a remote ridge in Gowardesh, tasked with gathering intelligence. Short on supplies and exposed by a resupply helicopter, the team soon found itself surrounded by at least 50 insurgents. Gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades rained down. Monti quickly called in artillery and air support while organizing his men into defensive positions. Amid the chaos, Staff Sergeant Patrick Lybert was killed, and Private First Class Brian Bradbury was gravely wounded in the open ground between the enemy and the patrol.

Monti refused to let Bradbury die alone. When a fellow soldier suggested going, Monti replied firmly: “That’s my guy. I’m going to get him.” His first attempt to reach Bradbury pushed him within feet of the fallen soldier before withering fire forced him back. He tried again and was repelled. On his third attempt, as his men laid down covering fire, Monti advanced into the storm of bullets and RPGs. This time, he was struck by an RPG and mortally wounded. Crawling toward cover, he asked his comrade to tell his parents he loved them. Moments later, he was gone.

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Monti was posthumously promoted to Sergeant First Class. On September 17, 2009, President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Honor—the first of his presidency—to Monti’s parents in a White House ceremony. Monti became only the second Medal of Honor recipient from Afghanistan, following Navy SEAL Michael P. Murphy.

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Today, Monti rests at the Massachusetts National Cemetery. His legacy endures through memorials, facilities named in his honor, and even in the song “I Drive Your Truck,” inspired by his father’s way of remembering him. Above all, Jared Monti is remembered for embodying the soldier’s creed: never leave a fallen comrade behind.