Excellent: Two soldiers of the KSK

With the Cross of Honor of the Bundeswehr for Bravery, Federal Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius today awarded two soldiers from the Special Forces Command (KSK). In Calw, Captain Andreas F. (name changed) and Sergeant Major Matthias G. (name changed) personally received the award for outstanding performance as the highest visible recognition from the Minister.

During the award ceremony, Pistorius emphasized that the two commando soldiers saved numerous German citizens and other protected persons at the risk of their own lives during the military evacuation operation in Kabul, Afghanistan in August 2021. The then leader of the Military Evacuation Operation Kabul task force, Brigadier General Jens Arlt, had recommended the two soldiers for this high honor based on their performance.

The Cross of Honor for Bravery is the highest award of the Bundeswehr for outstanding performance. The prerequisites for the award are exceptional risk to life and limb, as well as courageous, steadfast, and patient behavior in fulfilling the military mission. The Cross of Honor for Bravery has been awarded only 29 times to date.

The Background

Captain Andreas F. was on duty as the leader of his commando platoon at Abbey Gate of Kabul airport in the early morning of August 26, 2021 when the operation was to be aborted due to a specific bomb threat. Only hours later, a devastating suicide attack took place here, in which 13 US soldiers and more than 90 Afghan citizens lost their lives.

Shortly before Captain F. and his comrades withdrew, he recognized several German citizens in the crowd drawing attention with their passports. "Aware of the specific attack planning ... Captain F. decided courageously to take a high risk for himself and his subordinates to rescue the identified German nationals from this direct danger," the citation reads. "Captain F. maintained control in this extremely dangerous situation, led by example as a tactical leader, and demonstrated an excess of bravery and steadfastness in rescuing the German citizens at Abbey Gate. Through his unwavering commitment to mission accomplishment and his decisive and courageous actions, a total of ten German citizens with 32 eligible family members, including numerous women and children, were rescued from the dangerous situation. ... Captain F.'s decisive and courageous actions demonstrably saved the lives of the 42 eligible individuals."

In the night from August 25 to 26, 2021, only hours before the final evacuation from Kabul, Sergeant Major G. was on duty with his commando team far from the airport to evacuate three German families – all without male companions – for the last flight. The operation was under high time pressure and had to be completed by dawn.

The citation states: "At the reception point of the protected persons, there was a continuous exceptional risk to life and limb of the soldiers with a high escalation potential due to the direct presence of enemy Taliban fighters and a large crowd of aggressive and violent non-eligible male disruptors, which Sergeant major G. faced with his unwavering commitment to mission accomplishment exemplary. ... Despite sporadic enemy fire and violent attacks by non-eligible males, Sergeant Major G., through his decisive action, succeeded in finding the sought-after German citizens, protecting them from the numerous disruptors at the risk of his own life, and then bringing them safely by foot to the airport in the early morning hours of August 26, 2021 under the protection of the commando soldiers."

During this operation, three middle-aged women, three teenage girls, four children, and one mentally disabled boy were rescued.

More information on the Bundeswehr's honors: The Bundeswehr's Honors

The KSK on the Internet