Matthew O. Williams

Matthew O. Williams (born October 3, 1981) is a retired sergeant major in the United States Army. He received the Medal of Honor (upgraded from a Silver Star) on October 30, 2019, for his actions as a sergeant on April 6, 2008, as a member of Operational Detachment Alpha 3336, Special Operations Task Force 11, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan in the Battle of Shok Valley.

Early life Williams was born October 3, 1981, and spent most of his childhood in the small town of Boerne, Texas. He initially wanted to be a detective or work for the FBI when he grew up, so he obtained a bachelor's degree in criminal justice at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. After 9/11, Williams started rethinking how he could serve his country. He researched Special Forces programs and, in September 2005, joined the United States Army.

Military career In 2007, two years after he had joined the army, Williams became a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant (18B) with the 3rd Special Forces Group. Williams' first deployment was to Afghanistan and, on April 6, 2008, his unit was tasked to capture or kill high-value targets in the Shok Valley. The operation led to the events for which Williams was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Personal life Williams lives in North Carolina, , Matt took a job within Decisive Point as a Partner, where he focuses on venture investment and advisory work with early stage companies advancing technologies that matter . Matt currently sits on the advisory board for the veteran nonprofit group, HunterSeven Foundation , as cancer prevention and early detection is an important aspect within Matts personal and professional history.