(CNN) -- It's not often that someone you know and consider a friend is awarded the Medal of Honor. I first met then-Staff Sgt. Clint Romesha in Colorado in 2010. We had dinner with three of his fellow soldiers -- then-Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Hill, Sgt. Tom Rasmussen and Sgt. Eric Harder. Over beer and Mexican food, they talked about their time in the Army and their experiences at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistan. I was working on a book about the remote outpost in which they'd served; the four troops candidly and generously shared their thoughts with me. Romesha (pronounced ROE-muh-shay) was dark and sardonic. It was clear that he respected basic military values of selflessness, courage and efficiency, and had little tolerance for those who did not. It's not surprising, because he comes from a military family. Both of his brothers joined the military after high school, following in the footsteps of their father, a Vietnam veteran, and their grandfather, who served during World War II. For the Romeshas, military service is a family tradition.
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Jake Tapper: It's not often that someone you consider a friend is awarded the Medal of Honor
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Tapper: Clinton Romesha's leadership was crucial in fighting the Taliban in a very tough battle
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He says despite the glory, Romesha feels anguish at not being able to save more lives
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Tapper: Romesha is modest, but his bravery is truly inspiring
But because of the valorous actions of troops like Clint Romesha -- and others, including Hill, Rasmussen, @placeholder, Sgt.