sailor, every airman, and every marine has with their fellow service member. >> reporter: the story of captain swenson's heroism was lost for years in a tangle of army bureaucracy. what he did that day in one of the deadliest regions in afghanistan, a place we have visited many times before, had to be recognized. the man swenson helped to that helicopter would eventually die, but at the white house his family and the families of the others captain swenson tried to help were there to honor him. [ applause ] >> reporter: a soldier who risked everything for his brothers. martha raddatz, abc news, washington. >> amazing. and you realize there are so many we don't know about. they're out there. they're doing this. and we're sitting here safe. and we don't know what they're doing for us. amazing. >> absolutely. by the way, undeterred by the entire situation, he says he wants to re-enlist. now the army is considering it. >> that's what call a hero. by the way, this happened in