Awarded the Silver Star. During a grueling 14-hour battle in Afghanistan in 2016, SSgt Thiem and his Special Forces team faced six complex ambushes. Pinned down just 35 meters from the enemy, he exposed himself to withering fire to coordinate danger-close air strikes, enabling his team to break contact. Later, he sprinted 100 meters through open gunfire to organize a recovery effort for wounded Commandos, ultimately orchestrating 22 aircraft and saving the lives of his 100-man element.