A SEAL Team 6 member must step out of the shadows to receive the Medal of Honor

The White House had previously highlighted Byers' "courageous actions" and "selfless service" during the December 2012 operation. On Dec. 8, 2012, Byers and his team hiked more than four hours through the mountains of eastern Afghanistan to a compound where Joseph was believed to be held, according to an account by the Navy.

"There's a weight that that carries with, and that weight is the sacrifice that everyone has made in this community", Byers said. He also disabled a third guard while protecting Joseph, allowing the rest of his team to enter the room safely.

Plenty of people are calling Byers a hero as well, but his young daughter might not be one of them.

A fellow team member was shot while entering the single-room building where Joseph was being held.

Byers enlisted in 1998 after graduating from high school, initially becoming a Navy corpsman and serving as a medic. Later, he shielded the doctor from oncoming fire with his own body while incapacitating a militant using only a hand around the fighter's throat.

Byers tackled another person, straddled him and pinned him down.

The first got shot immediately.

Byers burst in anyway, shooting a Taliban fighter who had an automatic rifle aimed at him.

"It wasn't until he called and I got to speak to him that... and he said, "Congratulations".

Byers said that Checque was both a teammate and friend, and tough as nails. "He truly was and truly is an American hero". I would like to think he would do that all over again. "But they are there in the thick of the fight, in the dark of night, achieving their mission", added Mr. Obama while describing the heroic actions of the Navy SEAL team who was credited with the daring rescue.

"I am extremely happy to hear that Senior Chief Byers is receiving the Medal of Honor".

Obama said it takes a very special American to "willingly volunteer for missions of extreme risk", missions with "razor-thin" chances for survival. "I am so grateful for their dedication for rescuing me as well as bringing security to the Afghan people and to those who desire to see peace and prosperity in this region".

"Standing here in front of the nation is not Senior Chief Byers's idea of a good time". They have to do a lot of research and verifying and investigations. The White House ceremony took place on the morning of February 29th.

"My initial response was, does anyone ever say no to this?"

But the success came with a price, the president said.

The award puts Byers in rare company.

Byers is one of only eight living Navy Medal of Honor recipients.

One thing is for sure: he'll never tell.

Byers, a married father, has completed 11 overseas deployments with nine combat tours, said he has no plans to take it easy. Obama called special operations forces "a strategic national asset".

"Today's ceremony is truly unique", President Barack Obama said. Byers was second through the door. He told Military.com that he still loves his job and may seek to continue on active duty even past his career's 20-year mark in 2018.

Byers quickly talked to Joseph and, after confirming that he was able to move, extracted him to the helicopter-landing zone. He lived his life as a warrior, and he carried out the toughest missions selflessly and fearlessly.