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ATLANTA – What began as a routine morning run ended with Command Sgt. Maj. Jon A. Ring risking his life to save another. For his actions, he received the Soldier’s Medal, the Army’s highest award for heroism not involving conflict with an enemy, during a ceremony Sept. 22 at the Georgia State Capitol.
Ring, the senior enlisted leader of 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard, was nearing the end of a 10-mile run in Peachtree City on March 20 when he heard a violent crash and saw smoke rising above the trees.
“I ran up and saw an SUV on its side, flames starting to appear, and a man hanging upside down inside,” Ring said. “He was unconscious and bleeding pretty badly. My only thought was: how do I get this guy out of here?”
Ring crawled through a shattered rear hatch window to reach the driver. A neighbor shouted that the car was on fire.
“Time became critical,” Ring said. “I assumed he had a head or neck injury, so I got underneath him. His body weight pinned the seatbelt, so I called for someone to bring me a knife. Once we cut him free, we pulled him out through the sunroof and moved him away from the fire.”
Drawing on years of infantry training, Ring applied first aid, controlling bleeding and continuously monitoring the man’s airway, breathing and circulation until emergency medical services arrived.
“I wasn’t focused on the car,” Ring said. “I was focused on the person.”
For Ring, instinct and training were reinforced by values instilled from his family. His father, retired Lt. Col. Jon Ring Sr., served 27 years as an infantry officer before becoming a Senior Army Instructor for JROTC. All of Ring’s siblings have also worn the uniform, and his wife, Alyssa, is an intelligence officer in the Georgia Army National Guard.
“We raised all five of our kids with three things: service, education and family,” Ring Sr. said. “If you can do something, you ought to. That’s how communities survive. Family is all you have, and Jon has lived those values.”
Ring’s service has taken him from the 75th Ranger Regiment to five overseas deployments, including a recent deployment as the command sergeant major for the Crisis Response Task Force in the U.S. Central Command area of operations.
“I joined because it was the height of the Global War on Terror,” Ring said. “I was 18, healthy, and I knew people who had made the ultimate sacrifice. I felt like I needed to do my part.”
Reflecting on the March rescue, Ring said his response was the result of both how he was raised and the training he received throughout his career.
“In that moment I was pulling from every role I had ever served in,” Ring said. “From the technical medical skills I learned as a young infantryman to leading a group of people who wanted to help but didn’t know how, every experience prepared me for that day.”
“You won’t rise to the occasion,” Ring added. “You only fall to your level of training. That lesson has guided me throughout my career, and it made all the difference that day.”
For Ring, that training was built on a foundation of family. He often credits his parents, siblings and spouse for shaping his values as much as the Army did.
“My dad taught me grit and drive, and my mom taught me to care for others and never walk past someone in need,” Ring said. “Those lessons stayed with me just as much as any field manual.”
His father agreed.
“Family is everything,” Ring Sr. said. “It’s your anchor, and Jon has lived that every day.”
Maj. Gen. Richard Wilson, Georgia’s adjutant general, emphasized the historic nature of the award during the Capitol ceremony, where Gov. Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp hosted the Ring family.
“This is really a big deal,” Wilson said. “To our knowledge, this is the first time a Soldier’s Medal has been awarded to a Georgia Army National Guard Soldier. Command Sgt. Maj. Ring is one of our very best, a phenomenal NCO who represents the finest traditions of service.”
Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines, SEA to the chief, National Guard Bureau, who recently addressed enlisted leaders during the Georgia Guard’s state conference, said Ring’s actions reflect the qualities that define the force.
“Every Guardsman has a story to tell,” Raines said. “Those stories, rooted in resilience, discipline and service, are what sustain our enlisted force and ensure the National Guard’s legacy and readiness for the future. Command Sgt. Maj. Ring’s story is a powerful reminder of that truth.”
The official citation, signed by Secretary of the Army Daniel P. Driscoll, described how Ring entered a burning vehicle, supported the injured driver’s weight, freed him from his seat belt and provided lifesaving medical care under hazardous conditions.
“Command Sgt. Maj. Ring’s selfless actions reflect great credit upon him, the Georgia Army National Guard and the United States Army,” the citation read.
For Ring, the award is less about personal recognition and more about honoring the people who shaped him.
“I’ll never claim to be the greatest leader,” he said. “But I will claim to be the greatest dad. Being a father, a husband and a son, that’s what matters most to me.”
He and Alyssa have been married 16 years and are raising three children.
“My daughters will learn what to expect from a man by how I treat their mother. My son will learn how to be a man by how I act as his father,” Ring said. “That’s the legacy that matters most.”
Ring said his wife has been his anchor throughout his career.
“I was extremely lucky to marry Alyssa,” he said. “She has made me a thousand times better as a person, as a husband and as a Soldier. Without her, I would not be who I am today.”
Ring Sr. said his son’s actions were no surprise: “He saw someone in need and acted. That’s who he is. That’s who we raised him to be.”
Looking back, Ring said his takeaway from the rescue is simple: service matters.
“There’s something for everyone in the military,” he said. “You may never know when your training or your values will make the difference for someone else. But if you can help, you should.”
| Date Taken: | 09.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.24.2025 13:16 |
| Story ID: | 549165 |
| Location: | ATLANTA , GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Awards and Medals
Georgia
Army National Guard
