Kyle White: A Hero Among Us

By Stephen Ward

On one hand, Kyle White, '13, has taken his place among the hundreds of returning military veterans who have advanced their futures at UNC Charlotte.  That's in our university's DNA since its post-World War II founding to serve vets under the GI Bill. 

Kyle White at UNC Charlotte Center City

UNC Charlotte's founder, Bonnie Cone, would proudly call Kyle one of her 'Bonnie's Boys' for achieving his degree in finance in the Belk College of Business and beginning his career in financial services here in Charlotte with the Royal Bank of Canada. 

But Kyle also recently received a distinction that stands out from nearly all other men and women who have served in our armed forces. He was  awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama. He became just the seventh living recipient of this, the nation's highest military honor, from the war in Afghanistan.

You can see photos, maps and read the story of the ambush near Aranas, Afghanistan, at the official MOH Web site. You can also watch Kyle on the video below.

Moving forward, Kyle says he wants to be an advocate for the men and women in uniform who will continue to come home from the Middle East and elsewhere, to help them understand the opportunities the current GI Bill provides them, and to urge them to pursue the best possible university educations. In Kyle's case, that was what he found at UNC Charlotte. A Seattle-native turned Charlottean. An American hero who is also a Niner.

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Stephen Ward is executive director of university communications.