Medal(s) of Honor
Veterans Day was this Tuesday this week.
Flags were flown. Ceremonies were held. Hands were shaken, stories were shared, and countless men and women were thanked for their service.
As they should be.
I've always had a tremendous amount of respect for those who've worn our nation's uniform. And while a simple thank you can mean more than we realize, I sometimes wonder how much we really understand about the service we're thanking them for.
Or the honors some have received along the way.
Take the Medal of Honor, for example.
Most of us have heard of it. We know it's our nation's highest military decoration, presented by the President of the United States. But there's something rather extraordinary about what it represents.
The Medal of Honor recognizes acts of gallantry and courage so far beyond the call of duty that a service member risks their own life in circumstances most of us will thankfully never experience.
• Recipient: Retired U.S. Army Captain Florent A. Groberg, presented by President Barack Obama
• Reason for Award: Groberg was awarded the nation's highest military decoration for his extreme bravery on August 8, 2012, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, where he tackled a suicide bomber to protect his unit and visiting leaders.
And here's something I find fascinating.
The military is built upon rank. From the newest enlisted service member to the highest-ranking general, there's an established order of authority and respect.
Yet a four-star general traditionally salutes a private who has received the Medal of Honor.
Even presidents have honored recipients with a salute.
Not because of the recipient's rank.
Because of what they did.
There's something profoundly meaningful about that kind of recognition.
And although there's only one Medal of Honor, with three different designs representing different military branches, it's not the only decoration recognizing extraordinary courage.
Just beneath it are the Service Crosses. The Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross, and Coast Guard Cross. Different names among the branches, each recognizing extraordinary heroism in combat.
Then there's the Silver Star.
The third-highest military combat decoration, awarded for gallantry in action against an enemy.
One such recipient was Navy SEAL Marc Alan Lee, who gave his life protecting his teammates in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2006. Marc's story is one I've shared many times through our involvement with America's Mighty Warriors, and one that continues to hold a very special place in my heart.
The Purple Heart carries a different significance. It recognizes those wounded or killed under qualifying hostile circumstances. Not a measure of heroism, but a recognition of what someone endured or sacrificed.
These aren't Olympic medals.
There isn't a podium, a finish line, or a competition to determine who was the bravest.
Each decoration recognizes something significant. And none can possibly tell the entire story of the person wearing it.
Earlier this year, while watching UFC Freedom 250, I noticed something that genuinely surprised me. Medal of Honor recipients were accompanying fighters to the Octagon.
It wasn't the recognition that caught me off guard.
It was their age.
For whatever reason, I tend to associate the Medal of Honor with generations long before mine. World War II, Korea, Vietnam. Yet here were men my age, some younger, who had experienced things most of us will never fully comprehend.
Ordinary-looking people with extraordinary stories.
And it made me wonder how many of them we walk past every day without ever knowing.
There have been more than 3,500 Medal of Honor awards throughout our nation's history, yet only a small number of recipients are still living.
Some names are familiar. Most aren't.
Thankfully, their stories haven't been forgotten.
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society:
Maintains a searchable collection of recipients and their stories.
And the Military Times Hall of Valor:
Preserves thousands of military award citations, including those for the Service Crosses and Silver Stars.
Names worth knowing.
Stories worth reading.
And maybe a little reminder that the extraordinary people we honor aren't always found in history books. Sometimes they're living quietly among us.
Of course, most veterans will never receive one of these decorations.
Their service is no less deserving of our gratitude.
Some served in combat. Others stood watch during peacetime. Some returned home carrying wounds we can see, while others carry experiences we may never understand.
But each made a commitment to serve something beyond themselves.
And I think that's worth recognizing.
Veterans Day may have come and gone for another year, but our appreciation doesn't need to leave with it.
In thanks, take a few minutes to learn a name. Read a story. Shake a hand. Or simply offer a sincere thank you to someone whose service helped make the life we enjoy possible.
Not because they wear a medal.
But because they were willing to wear the uniform.
To all our veterans, thank you.
For your service, your sacrifices, and the many things we'll never fully know or understand.
Have a grateful weekend, friend. :)
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