Like thousands of graduates before him, CPT Kevin W. Mott ’07 accepted an offer to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point because he “wanted to make a difference.” What a difference he has made, especially while fighting in Afghanistan as a platoon leader with the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment (“No Slack”), 101st Airborne Division during Operation Strong Eagle III. Anticipated to last just a few days, this mission to clear an insurgent stronghold in the Kunar Province turned into a nine-day battle against a well-fortified enemy. “Their command and control ability was amazing,” said Mott. “Before we moved down the mountain to clear the Kalats, they mobilized unseen into the hills and spread out across 10-15 kilometers worth of terrain.”
On the first day of the mission, March 27, 2011, his unit was ambushed as soon as it lost its air support after a storm moved into the valley. Eleven soldiers in his platoon’s lead section were cut off and under heavy fire from all directions. Three were shot. Mott radioed in the casualties. He then put himself in the line of enemy fire so that his pinned fire team could move to a better position. Finally, getting to a position where he could see the enemy (less than 50 meters away), he called in indirect fire, effectively suppressing the enemy. “This went on for nine days,” said Mott, “with something bad happening in the mission every day.” Full Story