The Marine Corps has upgraded valor awards for the Marines of Company G, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines who stood guard at Abbey Gate during the deadly suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport on Aug. 26, 2021.
The Marines knew an attack was imminent. Positioned with little protection, they held their ground to keep evacuation operations moving as long as possible amid the chaos of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Their actions, described as heroic, came as an ISIS-K suicide bomber detonated, killing 13 U.S. service members and roughly 170 Afghan civilians.
On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced changes following a review that determined several original awards had been inappropriately downgraded. The upgrades better reflect the extreme risk the Marines faced and the lives they helped save while operating in the direct blast zone with minimal cover.
“After reviewing the original awards and determining that several had been inappropriately downgraded, these awards have now been upgraded to levels that more accurately reflect the extreme risk these Marines knowingly accepted and the lives they saved under direct enemy fire,” the Pentagon statement reads.
“The Marines at Abbey Gate were positioned in the direct blast zone with minimal cover, fully aware of an imminent suicide attack, yet they held their ground to keep evacuation operations running," they added.
For the Marines of Company G and their families, the decision marks official recognition that matches the dangers they faced that day. The review panel’s work highlights a commitment to examining the full record of the 2021 withdrawal and ensuring valor at the point of friction is not diminished by earlier administrative decisions.
The announcement is part of the panel’s broader effort to identify where the system fell short and deliver accountability for those who served. Additional findings and a full report are expected in the coming months.
Service members who stood at Abbey Gate performed with distinction under some of the most difficult conditions imaginable. This step ensures their actions are properly honored.
Stu Scheller's Work Pushes Upgrades Across the Finish Line
The award corrections came at the direction of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and followed recommendations from the Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel.
Officials credited the personal leadership of Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness Anthony Tata and senior advisor Stu Scheller for helping drive the process forward.
Scheller, who has advocated for proper recognition of service members involved in the withdrawal, personally shepherded the effort until the upgrades were approved. In posts on X shortly after the announcement, he described the move as a long-overdue correction.
“This is a small step, but overdue. Much more to be released soon,” Scheller wrote.
He added in a follow-up post:
The Marines we upgraded are very deserving of the awards. They fought with valor in a terrible situation. The goal of the panel is to follow the facts, tell the truth, and get accountability. This was a first step. We look forward to declassifying all the documents and releasing the panel’s report in the months to come.
