American former National Guard soldier and political candidate (born 1992)
Alek Skarlatos
Born
Aleksander Reed Skarlatos
(1992-10-10) October 10, 1992 (age 31)
Castro Valley, California, U.S.
Citizenship
United States (1992–present)
France (2018–present)
Alma mater
Umpqua Community College
Political party
Republican
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
Aleksander Reed Skarlatos[1] (/skɑːrˈlɑːtoʊs/; born October 10, 1992) is an American former Army National Guard soldier and political candidate. He along with Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler and three others, stopped a gunman on a Paris-bound train travelling from Amsterdam via Brussels in August 2015. He was awarded the United States Army's Soldier's Medal from U.S. President Barack Obama.[2] All six received France's highest decoration, the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, from French president François Hollande. The Americans were also awarded the medal of the city of Arras.[3][4]
Skarlatos competed on season 21 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars with pro dancer Lindsay Arnold as his partner. They finished in third place.[5] Skarlatos, along with his friends, portrayed themselves in the Clint Eastwood-directed movie The 15:17 to Paris, based on their autobiography, which was written with reporter Jeffrey Stern. Having previously ran for Douglas County commissioner in 2018, he was the Republican nominee for Oregon's 4th congressional district in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections but was defeated by incumbent Democrat Peter DeFazio.[6] He ran again to represent Oregon in the 4th congressional district in the 2022 House elections,[7] but was defeated by Democratic state Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle.[8] Skarlatos is running to represent Oregon's 4th House district in the 2024 Oregon House of Representatives election.[9]
^"Guardsman to get Soldiers Medal for subduing gunman on train". National Guard Bureau. August 26, 2015. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
^"Obama lauds 'train heroes' at White House". Yahoo! News. Agence France Presse. September 17, 2015. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
^Miner, Collin (August 27, 2015). "Alek Skarlatos: 'Good to be home with family'". KOIN6. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
^"Alek Skarlatos, 2 other Americans receive France's top honor for stopping armed attacker". The Oregonian. Associated Press. August 24, 2015. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
^"Oregon's Train Hero Cast in ABC's New 'Dancing' Cast". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Associated Press. September 2, 2015. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
^Cite error: The named reference Kristi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Fordham, Evie (May 2, 2021). "Oregon veteran who thwarted Paris train attack to run again to unseat Democrat DeFazio". Fox News. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
^Stringer, Grant; Edge, Sami (November 9, 2022). "Val Hoyle wins Oregon's 4th Congressional District race over Alek Skarlatos". Oregon Live. Archived from the original on November 13, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
^Shumway, Julia (November 7, 2023). "After failed runs for Congress, Alek Skarlatos seeks state House seat". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
failed runs for Congress, AlekSkarlatos seeks state House seat". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 10, 2024. "Aleksander Reed Skarlatos, Born 10/10/1992 in California...
Air Force staff sergeant. In August 2015, Stone, along with friends AlekSkarlatos and Anthony Sadler and three other passengers, as well as an off-duty...
Skarlatos is a Greek surname and forename. People with the name include: AlekSkarlatos (born 1992), American soldier, Knight of the French Legion of...
American author and television personality. Sadler, along with his friends AlekSkarlatos and Spencer Stone and several other passengers stopped a gunman on a...
art theorist and teacher Alek Sandar (born 1987), Bulgarian music producer, songwriter and recording artist AlekSkarlatos (born 1992), American actor...
celebrity partner AlekSkarlatos 1 Score given by guest judge Alfonso Ribeiro. 2 This week only, for "Partner Switch-Up" week, Skarlatos performed with Emma...
a high school classmate of Stone and Skarlatos; he helped Stone and Skarlatos tackle the gunman. AlekSkarlatos, a 22-year-old American Oregon Army National...
Julian Albans Into the Who Knows! Thomas 2018 The 15:17 to Paris Young AlekSkarlatos 2024 White Bird Julian Albans TBA James the Second James Buck Post-production...
2015-11-26. "Hayes Grier & AlekSkarlatos Join the 'DWTS' Tour!". Hayes Grier & AlekSkarlatos Join the ‘DWTS’ Tour! | AlekSkarlatos, Dancing With the Stars...
Kalloch Organizations Forward Party John Selker Organizations 314 Action AlekSkarlatos, former Oregon National Guard soldier and nominee for this district...
previously non-professional actors Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler, and AlekSkarlatos playing themselves as they stop the 2015 Thalys train attack. The film...
actor and narrator, played 'Old Polo' in Giant, James Dean's last film AlekSkarlatos – US Army National Guard soldier awarded the Soldier's Medal from US...
State Representative from District 2 (2023–present) Party Officials AlekSkarlatos, Douglas County Republican Precinct Committee Person for Precinct 12...
Richard Scholtes Preston Schoyer Stephen Silvasy Jr. John K. Singlaub AlekSkarlatos Christopher Speer Donn A. Starry Joseph Warren Stilwell Jr. Thomas Tackaberry...
Preceded by William Levy & Cheryl Burke Candace Cameron Bure & Mark Ballas AlekSkarlatos & Lindsay Arnold Calvin Johnson Jr. & Lindsay Arnold Dancing with the...
Clinton by 0.1 percentage point in 2016. In 2020, DeFazio defeated AlekSkarlatos by over 25,000 votes (5.4%). Pacific Green Party candidate Daniel Hoffay...
Fighter) as himself Spencer Stone (Airman's Medal Recipient) as himself AlekSkarlatos (Soldier's Medal Recipient) as himself Rob Vardaro (Actor) as Fatally...
Richard Scholtes Preston Schoyer Stephen Silvasy Jr. John K. Singlaub AlekSkarlatos Christopher Speer Donn A. Starry Joseph Warren Stilwell Jr. Thomas Tackaberry...
Richard Scholtes Preston Schoyer Stephen Silvasy Jr. John K. Singlaub AlekSkarlatos Christopher Speer Donn A. Starry Joseph Warren Stilwell Jr. Thomas Tackaberry...
performed with Allison Holker instead of Slater. Slater performed with AlekSkarlatos. 3 Score by guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy. 4 Score given by guest...
Richard Scholtes Preston Schoyer Stephen Silvasy Jr. John K. Singlaub AlekSkarlatos Christopher Speer Donn A. Starry Joseph Warren Stilwell Jr. Thomas Tackaberry...
Richard Scholtes Preston Schoyer Stephen Silvasy Jr. John K. Singlaub AlekSkarlatos Christopher Speer Donn A. Starry Joseph Warren Stilwell Jr. Thomas Tackaberry...
Mayor of Toronto[citation needed] September 11, 2015: Spencer Stone, AlekSkarlatos and Anthony Sadler, for actions taken to stop the 2015 Thalys train...
Global Information
United States
United States Army
Specialist
Oregon Army National Guard