STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — In 2013, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis of New Dorp sacrificed himself to preserve the lives of Polish Officer 2nd Lt. Karol Cierpica and more than 40 military and civilian personnel.

Now, more than a decade after the Taliban raid on Forward Operating Base Ghazni in Afghanistan, Ollis has been approved to receive the Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military decoration. While Staten Island residents are taking pride in this recent announcement, so too are Polish officials who are lauding the decision to award the protector of one of their own.

Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, deputy prime minister and minister of national defense for Poland, put out a statement Wednesday reacting to the news in a post on X.

“IMPORTANT! The late Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis will receive the Medal of Honor – for extraordinary heroism and sacrifice,” the translated post read. “In 2013 in Afghanistan, he gave his life, shielding the body of our Capt. Karol Cierpica during a terrorist attack. This story is a symbol of the unbreakable bond that connects Poland and the United States. Our nations serve shoulder to shoulder, defending shared values, freedom and democracy. The heroism of Sergeant Ollis reminds us that the alliance is not just words, but above all the readiness to make the highest sacrifices. Honor to his memory!”

The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Poland also issued a post on Ollis’ Medal of Honor approval on Thursday.

“The late Army Staff Sergeant M. Ollis will receive a Medal of Honor – for his extraordinary bravery and sacrifice,” the X post read in part. “He gave his life in Afghanistan in 2013, shielding Cpt. Cierpica with his body during a terrorist attack.”

Similarly, the ministry noted how Ollis’ story is a “symbol of the unbreakable bond” between Poland and the U.S.

Bittersweet news for the family

The Ollis family officially learned the news that Michael was going to receive the Medal of Honor during a personal phone call with President Donald Trump Tuesday evening.

When asked how he felt upon hearing the official approval directly from the president, Robert Ollis, Michael’s father, said:

“Extremely happy, but also sad. You know what I’m saying? It’s like bittersweet.”

“We were very happy that the president recognized Michael’s sacrifice, you know?” he added.

The push to upgrade Ollis’ Distinguished Service Cross to the Medal of Honor has been in the works for years.

After an initial push in 2022, local efforts were renewed in 2025 and saw Staten Island veterans and politicians rally behind the bipartisan effort. The recommendation worked its way up the chain of command and eventually found itself before the president.