Women are generally eligible to receive the Medal, although only one woman, Mary Walker in 1861, has had the honor.
For example, in February 1945, seventeen-year-old Jack Lucas saved three fellow marines by diving on top of two grenades and lived to receive the Medal. As you can tell from this story, it is best to not search out opportunities to earn acclaim, instead simply serve your fellow service members to the best of your abilities at all times. [2] X Research source
You will find that the total Medal recipients count stands at 3,498 as of December 2016. This number will slowly rise as Presidents present new Medals. You may also learn that the Medal was created during the Civil War period and was signed into law by President Lincoln.
You can request that particular persons provide letters of support, however, the initial process often starts without the nominee’s direct knowledge. As the investigation continues, official accounts of the action and personal interview responses become important pieces of evidence. At any stage in the process, an official can reject or pause your application by citing the lack of evidence regarding the incident in question. For example, in 2003, Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, sent back one application requesting additional eyewitness accounts. [5] X Research source
This requirement, in particular, has presented difficulties for those persons trying to submit a posthumous award application for a deceased service member.
For example, Army applications that fit into the two-year window go up to the Army Human Resources Command before being sent even deeper into the chain. [8] X Research source
Relatives of the service member often write letters to politicians requesting that attention be paid to the actions of a particular service member. This is one way to get an application started. The more details that are provided regarding the incident itself, the better.
Many of these interviews will occur face-to-face with questions being repeated multiple times to get an exact timeline and story established. For example, an opening question might be, “How did you learn of this action?” All of these answers will then be compared to official reports. These investigations are often made even more challenging by the injuries sustained by the people involved. It is not unknown for investigators to talk with a nominee and their fellow service members in the hospital, if necessary. In some cases, the Medal nominee is medically unable to speak and their actions must be described by others. [10] X Research source The interview transcripts are then added to the nomination packet and are made available to other individuals in the chain of command as the nomination moves upward.
For example, if your package moves through Army channels it will need to pass through the: Army Human Resources Command (Army Decoration Board), Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of the Army, Secretary of Defense, and President. The President has the final say (for all service branches) regarding the approval or disapproval of the nomination. [12] X Research source
Veteran health is a cause close to the hearts of Medal recipients and you can often find them speaking to post-traumatic stress support groups and the like. [17] X Research source
In addition, Medal recipients are granted uniform privileges and can wear their uniforms as often as they choose.
The Department of Veterans Affairs will also provide an engraved headstone for those Medal recipients who have passed away.
