Alek Skarlatos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alek Skarlatos
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 4th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 13, 2025
Preceded by	Christine Goodwin
Personal details
Born	Aleksander Reed Skarlatos (1992-10-10) October 10, 1992 (age 32) Castro Valley, California, U.S.
Citizenship	United States (1992–present) France (2018–present)
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Umpqua Community College
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	2012–2017
Rank	Specialist
Unit	Oregon Army National Guard
Battles/wars	War in Afghanistan
Awards	§ Awards and decorations

Alek Skarlatos (born October 10, 1992) is an American politician and a former soldier in the Oregon Army National Guard. He is currently a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, representing the 4th district. Before becoming a politician, he became famous for his bravery during a train attack in 2015.

After the attack, he appeared in many TV shows and even starred in a movie about his experience. He also wrote a book about it. Skarlatos has run for political office several times. He was born in California and later moved to Oregon. In 2012, he joined the Oregon Army National Guard.

Early Life and Military Service

Growing Up and Joining the Guard

Alek Skarlatos was born in Castro Valley, California. His father, Emanuel Skarlatos, came to the United States from Greece. Alek grew up in Sacramento County, California. There, he met his friends Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler at a school in Fair Oaks.

Later, Skarlatos moved to Oregon. He finished high school at Roseburg High School and went to Umpqua Community College. In 2012, he joined the Oregon Army National Guard. He became a Specialist, which is a military rank.

Service in Afghanistan

In 2015, Skarlatos spent nine months serving in Afghanistan. He was part of the National Guard's 186th Infantry Regiment. This unit is part of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The leader of the Oregon Guard called Skarlatos a "true citizen soldier." He said Alek showed the courage everyone hopes to have. Just one month before the train attack in France, Skarlatos decided to stay in the military for two more years. He left the military in November 2017.

The 2015 Train Attack

A Trip to Paris

On August 21, 2015, Skarlatos was on vacation in Europe. He was traveling with his high school friends, Anthony Sadler and Spencer Stone. Stone was a U.S. Air Force serviceman. They were on a high-speed Thalys train going from Amsterdam to Paris.

Suddenly, a 25-year-old man named Ayoub El-Khazzani came out of a train bathroom. He was carrying an assault rifle, a pistol, and a knife. He also had many rounds of ammunition.

Stopping the Attacker

Two passengers tried to stop the gunman. One was a Frenchman, and the other was an American named Mark Moogalian. Moogalian managed to grab the rifle from the attacker. But the gunman shot him with the pistol.

Spencer Stone quickly ran towards the gunman and attacked him. Stone was cut while trying to stop him. Skarlatos then joined the fight. He grabbed the pistol from El-Khazzani's hand. Then, he picked up the rifle and hit the attacker in the head. A British businessman, Chris Norman, also helped to hold the gunman down.

Even though he was badly cut, Stone used his military training to choke El-Khazzani until he passed out. The attacker was then tied up. Stone, who also had some medical training, helped Moogalian by pressing on a bleeding artery. This saved Moogalian's life.

After the Attack

El-Khazzani and three others were put on trial in November 2020. Skarlatos, Stone, and Sadler were supposed to testify. Skarlatos said that Spencer Stone deserved the most credit for stopping the attack. He said, "I do not feel like a hero because we were just doing what we had to to survive. I think Spencer is probably a hero because he was the first one" to act.

El-Khazzani was sent to prison for life for trying to commit murder and terrorism. His helpers also received long prison sentences. The person who planned the train attack, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was also responsible for other attacks in Brussels and Paris. He was killed by police a few days later.

International Recognition

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter gives the Soldier's Medal to Skarlatos (second from left). He also gives awards to Spencer Stone (third from left) and Sadler (fourth from left) in September 2015.

After their brave actions, Skarlatos and his friends became known around the world. The French president, François Hollande, gave Skarlatos, Stone, Sadler, and Norman France's highest award, the Legion of Honour. President Hollande said the men "faced [off] with terror" and taught everyone a lesson in courage.

The White House also thanked the men for their bravery. U.S. President Barack Obama called the three Americans to thank them. General Philip M. Breedlove from the U.S. European Command praised them as heroes. He said their actions showed the courage of young men and women in the military.

The mayor of Sacramento, Kevin Johnson, held a parade to honor Skarlatos, Sadler, and Stone. Skarlatos later said that the attack made him feel more connected to victims of terrorism. He realized how easily things could have gone differently.

Media Career

TV Appearances and Movies

In October 2016, Skarlatos, Spencer Stone, and Anthony Sadler appeared on the TV show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. This was part of a special "Hometown Heroes" week.

Skarlatos also competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2015. He was partnered with professional dancer Lindsay Arnold. He said he was inspired by another soldier, Noah Galloway, who was on the show before him. Skarlatos and Arnold did very well and finished in third place.

In July 2017, it was announced that Clint Eastwood would direct a movie about their story. The film was called The 15:17 to Paris, based on the book they wrote. Skarlatos, Stone, and Sadler played themselves in the movie. The film was released in February 2018.

Political Career

Running for Office

After his military and media careers, Alek Skarlatos decided to enter politics. He first ran for Douglas County Commissioner in Oregon in 2018, but he did not win that election.

Running for U.S. House of Representatives

In 2019, Skarlatos announced he would run for the United States House of Representatives. He wanted to represent Oregon's 4th congressional district as a Republican. He won the Republican primary election in May 2020. However, he lost the main election to the Democratic congressman, Peter DeFazio.

Skarlatos ran for the same U.S. House seat again in 2022. He was the only Republican candidate in the primary election. The district boundaries had changed, making it more likely to vote for Democrats. The current congressman, Peter DeFazio, decided to retire. Skarlatos faced Val Hoyle, a Democrat, in the election. He lost this election as well.

Serving in the Oregon House of Representatives

In 2024, Skarlatos ran for a different office: the Oregon House of Representatives. He ran to represent Oregon's 4th House district. This time, he won the election on November 5, 2024. He officially started his new job on January 13, 2025.

Personal Life

On September 20, 2018, Alek Skarlatos, along with Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler, became French citizens. This was a special honor given to them because of their heroic actions on the train. A ceremony was held in Sacramento in January 2019. Skarlatos was raised as a Presbyterian, but he is now a member of a Lutheran church.

Awards and Decorations

Alek Skarlatos has received several important awards for his bravery and service:

• Soldier's Medal: A U.S. Army award for heroism not involving conflict with an enemy.
• Achievement Medal
• Good Conduct Medal (United States)
• National Defense Service Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal
• Army Service Ribbon
• Overseas Service Ribbon
• Legion of Honour, Knight (France's highest award, received in August 2015)
• NATO Medal for his service in Afghanistan with ISAF
• Oregon Distinguished Service Medal
• He also received the bravery medal from the city of Arras, France.

Works

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Alek Skarlatos para niños