if there’s an opportunity to escape the deadly blast of a grenade, the Army trains soldiers to take it.

when an iraqi insurgent threw a grenade into the humvee where Pfc. Ross A. McGinnis manned the machine gun, he had time — a split second – to jump from the turret and save himself.

but he didn’t.  in a matter of seconds, with four of his buddies stuck inside, Ross yelled “grenade!” into his microphone, dropped down the turret and used his back to smother the explosive.  he gave his life so they could live.

today during a solemn white house ceremony, President Bush presented Ross’s parents, Tom and Romayne, with a posthumous Medal of Honor for their amazing son.

“America will always honor the name of this brave soldier who gave all for his country and was taken to rest at age 19,” President Bush said. “No one outside this man’s family can know the true weight of their loss.”

Ross was raised in Knox, Pa., a town about 50 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.  he joined the Army at 17 through its delayed-entry program, which allows enrollees to learn some military fundamentals before they get to basic training.  his family says he always wanted to be a soldier.

“I guess about the only thing you’re really going to remember about my son is that he did the right thing at the right time,” his father, Tom McGinnis, said at a news conference after the ceremony.

i think i will remember alot more then that about Ross.

after his death, Ross was promoted to the rank of specialist and was awarded the Purple Heart, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Army Good Conduct Medal among others.

his was a selfless act of bravery and courage.  godspeed.