Florent Groberg received the highest military honor on Thursday when President Obama presents him with the Medal of Honor for his service in Afghanistan. Captain Groberg is an esteemed track and field alumnus, who competed for the terrapin program from 2003-2006.
Upon graduation, Groberg followed his calling to the military in 2008. He quickly rose through the ranks after impressing his superiors with his running abilities and athletic skill. Groberg’s relentless dedication to his mission came to fruition on August 8th, 2012. On this day, Captain Groberg was charged to lead six men in a security detail in Afghanistan’s Kunar Province with the mission of protecting Colonel James Mingus. Also a runner, Groberg felt a strong connection to Col. Mingus.
Groberg saw a suspicious looking man with a bulge under his clothes and charged at him, throwing the man to the ground. The suicide bomber released his trigger setting off the bomb. Five of the other soldiers were killed but not the commander. Groberg was knocked unconscious and suffered severe damage to his leg. His fibula was sticking out with the skin melting from his foot.
Since this day, Groberg has had multiple surgeries and continues to recover at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Up until this day, Groberg was still a devoted runner and hopes that medical technologies will one day allow him to heal and return to the sport.
As an athlete at the University of Maryland, Captain Groberg was referred to as “Flo”. He graduated from Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, MD where he excelled in events ranging from the 800m through 3000m. Groberg first started his collegiate career at UNC Wilmington before transferring to our College Park campus.
Upon arrival, Groberg worked endlessly to make an impact on the track. Flo was viewed as a relentless worker by many of his teammates and coaches. Some of his best performances came in relay settings when he was determined to perform for his teammates. He still holds the #7 spot on the Indoor All-Time record list for the Distance Medley Relay along with teammates, Harold Manning, Mike Fleg, and Pete Hess. He also holds the #9 spot for the 3000m run where he clocked a time of 8:24.84.
Head Coach Andrew Valmon recalls Flo as a dedicated individual who current student athletes should look up to as a role model. “Flo’s legacy at Maryland continues to extend beyond his athletic career. His actions while serving our country demonstrate what it means to be selfless and to make sacrifices on behalf of others. I am proud of Flo for his courageous efforts and intuition to respond in this time of need. I hope that all of the young women and men on our team can learn from his actions.”
“Hopefully our student-athletes can see from this story that we can’t take anything for granted. Running is very much a part of who Flo is and to sustain an injury of this caliber is a constant reminder of the sacrifices he made for our country.”
In addition to his anticipated medal of honor, Groberg has received the following accolades related to his service in Afghanistan: two bronze stars, the Army Achievement Medal, and an Afghanistan Campaign Star. He was also nominated for the Distinguished Service Cross.
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