COVINGTON, Va. – An Air Force veteran from the Alleghany Highlands will receive the military’s third-highest honor this week for his actions in Afghanistan.
Master Sergeant John Grimesey has been awarded the Silver Star for his bravery during a 2013 battle in Afghanistan. He has also been honored with a Bronze Star for a separate instance of heroism in Afghanistan in 2017.
Grimesey is a Covington native. He graduated from Alleghany County High School in 2004 and from the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets in 2008. He said the lessons he learned in high school and college prepared him for the scenarios he faced abroad.
“I was able to save lives that day, not only the life of my teammate, but those who were trapped, such as the Afghan police, inside the compound,” Grimesey said. “I am incredibly honored. There are a number of men and women who have earned the Silver Star who have done things that are extraordinarily heroic.”
Grimesey, who is currently stationed at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina, will receive his honors on Friday.