The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Ryan T. Sotelo, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as 1st Squad Leader, Second Platoon, Company K, THIRD Battalion, Fifth Marines, Regimental Combat Team 2, FIRST Marine Division (Forward), I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) Afghanistan, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. On 25 November 2010, insurgents ambushed Sergeant Sotelo’s squad with machinegun and small arms fire, killing the Platoon Commander. Sergeant Sotelo immediately took charge of the unit, moved them into a nearby canal, and then sprinted through heavy fire across the open ground to retrieve the body of his fallen lieutenant. With the hasty defensive position now untenable due to intense small arms fire, he called in supporting arms to cover the squad’s movement into a nearby compound. As insurgents began to assault the position, he fearlessly led his squad as they repelled the enemy with their organic weapons. When one enemy began to fire on an exposed Marine, Sergeant Sotelo closed on the insurgent and killed him with a grenade. After a reinforcing Marine unit was pinned down by heavy fire from the insurgents, Sergeant Sotelo again exposed himself to the fire in order to engage the enemy machinegun with his personal weapon, finally calling in an air strike that silenced the enemy gun. Realizing that his situation was dire, Sergeant Sotelo led a fighting withdrawal more than 600 meters through enemy fire to bring his squad back to friendly lines. By his bold leadership, wise judgment, and complete dedication to duty, Sergeant Sotelo reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.