It’s been about a decade since a United States Navy sailor has received the U.S. military’s most prestigious honor: the Medal of Honor.

That, however, is all about to change, because according to a Tuesday press release by the White House a senior enlisted Navy SEAL is about to earn the loftiest of heroic laurels for his rescue of an American civilian hostage in Afghanistan back in 2012.

President Barack Obama is set to bestow Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Edward Byers with the MOH on February 29, at a 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue ceremony.

This from the Army Times:

Byers’ actions were so clearly beyond expectation, even for a Navy SEAL, that the Navy had no hesitation in nominating him for the Medal of Honor, according to a defense official familiar with his case, but not authorized to speak publicly about it, told USA Today.

“There’s no margin of doubt or possibility of error in awarding this honor,” the defense official said. “His actions were so conspicuous in terms of bravery and self-sacrifice that they clearly distinguished him to be worthy of the award, including risk of his own life.”

And while all U.S. government departments and officials will remain mum and vague about the details of the courageous event, the man who he rescued — Dr. Dilip Joseph — won’t. In fact, ever since his life was saved by Byers he hasn’t, even penning a book titled Kidnapped by the Taliban: A Story of Terror, Hope and Rescue by SEAL Team Six.

Here’s his account of what went down, also via the Army Times:

At that time, Dr. Dilip Joseph, the medical director for the faith-based nonprofit Morningstar Development, was entering his fifth day of captivity by ransom-seeking Taliban fighters in the mountains east of Kabul, according to the USA Today report.

Sometime after midnight on Dec. 9, Joseph heard shots outside the shack where he was being held, he recounted in a 2014 book, “Kidnapped by the Taliban: A Story of Terror, Hope, and Rescue by SEAL Team Six.”

“Is Dilip Joseph here?” shouted one of the heavily armed men, wearing night-vision goggles and speaking English. When Joseph identified himself, one of the SEALs — Joseph doesn’t know for sure — immediately laid down on top of him to protect him from the fighting, asking about his welfare. Amid the gunfire, the SEAL calmly asked if he had been fed, if he could walk, and if he had been mistreated.

Five Taliban fighters were killed, according to USA Today. One Navy SEAL — the first one in the door, who the others called Nic — had been shot in the forehead.

As they waited for a helicopter 12 minutes out, the SEALs protected Joseph by “sandwiching” him between two team members.

Discovered only by a FOIA request, in a memo General Martin Dempsey, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff “strongly recommended Byers for the MOH back in December of 2014.

It’s also been reported that it took all this time partly due to the fact that Byers was still deployed. And, as you might know, it’s been required that the recipient of the Medal of Honor be presented it in Washington, ever since Teddy Roosevelt said so back in 1905 — through an executive order.

More about Byers, again from the Army Times:

Byers, 36, is a native of Toledo, Ohio. He joined the Navy in Sept. 1998 and served as a hospital corpsman before attending Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in 2002.

His awards and decorations include five Bronze Stars with combat “V” device, two Purple Hearts, a Joint Service Commendation with “V,” three  Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals — one with “V”— and two Combat Action Ribbons.