Role model. Idol. Hero. Legend.

All these words have been used to depict Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta.

At the age of 25, Sgt. Giunta is the first living soldier from the war in Afghanistan to receive the Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is one of the most prestigious awards given out by the military, and according to the Huffington Post, Giunta is only the eighth soldier from the Iraq and Afghanistan war to receive the honor.

Giunta continually has expressed through CNN that any soldier would have done what he did, reflecting the loyalty and commitment that these soldiers develop for one another.

“These men spend countless hours training with each other and building a fellowship…a band of brothers,” said Assistant Professor of Political Science Robert A. Duncan. “Would you put your life on the line for a close friend? You bet your ass you would.”

Giunta’s story affirms Duncan’s statement.

Born and raised in Hiawatha, Iowa, Giunta was a typical American teenager growing up. Nothing seemed to separate him from anyone else.

“Sal was just kind of an average kid going through high school. There’s nothing that stood out other than his bravery,” said neighbor Carol Sudmeier, according to the Washington Post. “I think he really just found himself in the Army.”

Giunta had no intentions to join the army and become a soldier. According to Fox News, Sgt. Giunta was working at a local Subway restaurant mopping the floors when he heard an army recruitment ad over the radio.

“They start saying the Army recruiter is giving out free T-shirts,” kidded Giunta, according to Fox News. “I’m a sucker for a free T-shirt I guess.”

From the moment Giunta met and spoke with the army recruiter he was hooked and he joined the military. He served two combat tours in Afghanistan totaling 27 months, according to NBC.

However the day that will reside with Giunta forever was Oct. 25, 2007.

According to NBC, Giunta was serving as a rifle team leader at the time in Korengal, one of the most dangerous areas in Afghanistan. On this day Giunta and his platoon was being led by Sgt. Josh Brennan, one of Giunta’s best friends. Walking in a straight line with their eyes scanning the mysterious land, the soldiers were suddenly faced with a devastating encounter.

The platoon was attacked by Taliban terrorists and a firefight persisted, according to CNN News. Soon after this battle had started, Sgt. Brennan and the Squadron Medic Hugo Mendoza were caught up in the ambush and struck with bullets.

“Everyone was at risk,” Giunta said to Fox News. “There were bullets all over the place. There were RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) blowing up all over the place. You could see the muzzle flashes from bullets leaving the enemies guns that weren’t too far away.”

CNN reported that army documents conveyed that, in the midst of the chaos, Giunta witnessed two Taliban combatants lugging Brennan away into the desert. Sgt. Giunta fired at the two fighters, killing one of them and injuring the other badly enough to force them to evacuate. Giunta then proceeded to carry Brennan away to cover.

“He was still conscious,” Giunta later told a journalist from the New York Times Magazine. “He was breathing. He was asking for morphine. I said, ‘You’ll get out and tell your hero stories,’ and he was like, ‘I will, I will.'”

The next day Brennan passed away due to the fatal wounding.

Army Capt. Daniel Kearney, who was the commander of Giunta’s unit, was not going to let the case rest though, according to CNN. Soon after Brennan’s death, Kearney filed the necessary paperwork to award Giunta with the Medal of Honor.

“Sgt. Giunta basically took it upon himself to run through an ambush, later repatriate Sgt. Brennan, who was still alive at the time, and kill multiple enemies while dragging Sgt. Brennan back,” Kearney said. “I realized I was walking amongst heroes. I was walking amongst giants. I needed to make sure this country recognized those individuals and paid them the right ‘thank you.’ “

Sgt. Giunta, however, was not as pleased upon hearing of Kearney’s intentions.

“When I first heard that they were putting me in for the Medal of Honor, I felt lost — I felt kind of angry — I felt, I think, angry,” he said in an exclusive interview with CNN. “Just because, you know, this is so big. This is — it came at such a price. It came at the price of a good buddy of mine — not just Brennan, but Mendoza. Mendoza died that night as well. And people want to put a medal around my neck.”

Now, close to three years later, Sgt. Giunta has been recognized for his actions. On November 16, 2010 President Obama presented Giunta with the honor.

“I’m going to go off script here and just say, ‘I really like this guy,'” Obama said, according to NBC. “When you meet Sal and you meet his family, you are just absolutely convinced that this is what America is all about, and it just makes you proud.”

The praise did not stop there. Giunta, however, remains humble and haunted by the memories.

“People congratulate me on a good job when there’s two people that have basically given their entire lives for this mission, for the Army, for the people of the United States of America,” Giunta said to CNN. “And now, I’m gonna be the one they are gonna shake hands with and congratulate? It didn’t seem real and at the same time, what did seem real was that this shouldn’t happen.”

Many feel that Giunta’s receiving the Medal of Honor, has brought the face of heroism before Americans in a tangible way.

“A number of soldiers have received the Medal of Honor but this one is more graphic,” said Duncan. “The fact that it is a living person who people can look at and make a direct connection with, makes this really special.”