Matthew O. Williams (born October 3, 1981) is a retired sergeant major in the United States Army.https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-williams-tamu/ 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.
Williams was promoted to sergeant major during a ceremony at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on February 28, 2020.
As of 2026, Williams, Lieutenant Colonel William D. Swenson, Sergeant Major Thomas Payne, and CW5 Eric Slover are the only Medal of Honor recipients still on active duty. One recipient, Dakota Meyer, is serving part-time after reenlisting with the United States Marine Corps Reserve in April 2025.
Awards and decorations
Personal decorationsMedal of Honor (upgraded from the Silver Star)Bronze Star Medal with two bronze oak leaf clustersMeritorious Service MedalArmy Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clustersArmy Achievement MedalArmy Good Conduct Medal (5 awards)National Defense Service MedalAfghanistan Campaign Medal with three bronze service starsGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalNCO Professional Development Ribbon with bronze award numeral 4Army Service RibbonArmy Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 3NATO Medal for service with ISAFUnit awardsValorous Unit AwardOther accoutrementsCombat Infantryman BadgeSpecial Forces TabBasic Parachutist Badge with 3rd Special Forces Group background trimmingExpert Marksmanship Badge with one weapon barSpecial Forces (United States Army) Combat Service Identification BadgeDutch Parachutist Badge with starSpecial Forces (United States Army) Distinctive Unit Insignia5 Service stripes5 Overseas Service Bars
Medal of Honor citation
Personal life Williams lives in North Carolina, with his wife Kate and two sons, Nolan and Barrett. Following his retirement from the United States Army in 2025 and his graduation from Texas A&M University with a Masters in Business Administration, 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.
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