This past Wednesday saw President Donald Trump deliver a State of the Union address to the 119th United States Congress, the first official address of his second term. During his speech, President Trump gave out several awards such as the Purple Heart, Presidential Medal of Freedom, and—for Norwich graduate and alumnus, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Solver—the Medal of Honor.
In the part of the address about the Jan. 3rd military intervention in Venezuela, President Trump spoke about the actions taken by Slover during that mission. He was the flight lead in the cockpit of the first helicopter when it came under severe machine-gun fire, and Slover was hit four times in his leg and hip. Despite his wounds, he maintained control of the aircraft, enabling him to land the Chinook helicopter safely and continue the operation.
Solver now sits as the 10th Norwich Alumni to receive the highest award that can be given to a soldier in the United States Military, exemplifying his powerful dedication to serving to his country as well as the values of a citizen-soldier.
