Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus congratulates Sgt. William B. Soutra of 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command after awarding him the Navy Cross, the nation's second-highest award for combat valor, at 1st MSOB headquarters aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif. Dec. 3. Soutra was decorated with Maj. James T. Rose, SSgt. Frankie J. Shinost and Hospitalman 1st Class Patrick B. Quill, who were each awarded the Silver Star 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).