Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus awards the Silver Star medal, the nation's third-highest award for combat valor, to Hospitalman 1st Class Patrick B. Quill of 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command at 1st MSOB headquarters aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif. Dec. 3. Quill was decorated alongside Maj. James T. Rose and SSgt. Frankie J. Shinost, who also received the Silver Star, and Sgt. William B. Soutra, who received the Navy Cross, the nation's second-highest award for combat valor, for extraordinary heroism exhibited during a combat mission in Helmand Province, Afghanistan nearly two years ago (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle McNally/Released).