Thomas Payne

Thomas Patrick Payne (born April 2, 1984) is a United States Army Delta Force sergeant major and infantry instructor, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during a hostage rescue mission in an area of northern Iraq controlled by the Islamic State. Payne is the first living Delta Force Medal of Honor recipient, and the first to receive the Medal of Honor for actions during Operation Inherent Resolve. Early life and education Payne was born on April 2, 1984, and grew up in Batesburg-Leesville and Lugoff, South Carolina, graduating from Lugoff-Elgin High School in 2002. His father is a policeman, and he has two brothers, one of whom also serves in the Army and the other in the United States Air Force. Army career After high school, Payne enlisted in the United States Army as an infantryman on July 25, 2002, completing One Station Unit Training, the Basic Airborne Course, and the Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP) (now known as the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program) throughout 2002 and 2003 at Fort Benning, Georgia.