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Marine Sgt. Andrew Seif and his wife, Dawn, at the 2013 USO Gala in Washington, D.C. USO photos by Mike Theiler[/caption]
A former USO Marine of the Year is about to receive another huge honor.
On Tuesday, the Marine Corps announced Sgt. Andrew C. Seif, the USO’s 2013 Marine of the Year, will receive the Silver Star, the nation’s third highest medal for valor.
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The Seifs outside the U.S. Capitol in 2013.[/caption]
Seif, who was described by his commanding officer as a Marine with “tenacity, vigor and common sense that he applies to every task or endeavor he undertakes,” was attempting to detain a high-value target on July 24, 2012, when his teammate — 26-year-old Sgt. Justin Hansen — was shot several times as they approached a compound. Electing not to wait for reinforcements, Seif entered the compound alone and eliminated the threat. After clearing the compound, Seif returned to treat his teammate’s wounds while exposing himself to constant enemy fire. Despite Seif’s efforts, however, his teammate died of his wounds later that day.
The USO recognized Seif as the Marine of the Year at the 2013 USO Gala in Washington, D.C., where he modestly accepted the award before once again leaving his family behind to return to the fight. (He was even highlighted before the gala in a piece we did on the P&G Beauty and Grooming Lounge and also had a unique USO moment, where he and his wife, Dawn, celebrated their anniversary with Justin Timberlake at the Las Vegas premiere of the film “Runner, Runner.”)
“It’s a sincere, great honor,” he said at the time. “I’m really happy to represent the Marine Corps as well as my unit, to bring light to what we do.”
Like many Marines, Seif was first introduced to the USO on his way to boot camp at the San Diego International Airport, where Marine recruits are organized and cared for by USO volunteers while they await a bus full of drill instructors from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
“The USO has been there since a half step before I was even in the military,” Seif said, “and they’ve been there ever since. “I’ve slept in USOs. A lot of Marines will attest — especially when you are first coming in, moving around a bunch of new schools — the USO is always there. A place you can change over, grab a sandwich and kind of hang out between flights. It’s our home away from home.”
Every day, America’s service members selflessly put their lives on the line to keep us safe and free. Please take a moment to let our troops know how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice.
