Statement by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on the French Train Incident
Aug. 22, 2015

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter released the following statement on the actions of U.S. military personnel aboard a passenger train in France Friday. Airman First Class Spencer Stone of Lajes Air Base, Azores, and Specialist Alek Skarlatos, an Oregon National Guardsman, along with a civilian friend subdued an armed gunman aboard a train bound for Paris.

“On behalf of all the men and women of the Department of Defense, I want to thank the brave individuals, including two members of the U.S. military, who stepped forward to prevent an even greater tragedy from taking place aboard that train. My thoughts and prayers today are with those injured in the attack, including Airman First Class Spencer Stone whose selfless actions saved lives. I wish him a speedy recovery. Airman Stone and Specialist Alex Skarlatos are two reasons why – on duty and off – ours is the finest fighting force the world has ever known.”

Airman First Class Stone is currently being treated in a French medical facility with non-life threatening injuries.