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What do you know about the Medal of Honor? For many of us, it’s the highest award an American can receive, but how does one become honored with one in the first place? The history of the Medal of Honor is as rich as each story behind every one given. From the first African American recipient who was born a slave to the only female recipient of the Medal of Honor, some stories need to be told.

But first, we need to know what the Medal of Honor is and why it is so important.

The National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership invites you to read its sub-feature page about the history and importance of the Medal of Honor. The page explains the symbolism of the award. Not only is the medal a historic symbol of the nation’s bravest, but it also represents veterans who “distinguish themselves by gallantry in action”. It is the highest honor a service person can receive, and is awarded by the President, in the name of Congress.

Currently, there are three variations of the Medal of Honor: one each for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps & Coast Guard, and the Air Force. While the Medal has undergone several design changes since its creation during the American Civil War, it remains constant in its representation of valor. Each branch has different design features, but all three stand for “action above and beyond the call of duty”.

That said, do you know that the design of the Navy Medal of Honor is the most symbolic one? Compared to the other two variants, the Navy model features several unique elements that reflect the branch’s mission to reunite the United States.

The National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership explains that there are over 3,000 Medal of Honor recipients, 61 of whom are still alive. The group further explains that for an act to be considered worthy of the Medal of Honor, it must clearly show gallantry while in combat and involve the risk of the service member’s life. Most importantly, this act, if not done, would have resulted in serious harm or injury to another service person or a group of them.

Contrary to popular belief, the Medal of Honor has several requirements to be met before it is honored to anyone. All nominees must have at least two sworn eyewitness statements and other compelling evidence. These data are then approved through the entire military command structure, ending with the President of the United States.

The nonprofit also clarifies that the Medal of Honor must be nominated within 3 years of the act and be presented within 5 years. Unfortunately, any submissions outside the time limit will not be considered.

The National Medal of Honor Center of Leadership is dedicated to helping American citizens develop their leadership skills. It believes that “leaders are made, not born” and continues to educate people about the many ways to express leadership in their personal and professional lives.

They write, "With a nationwide digital educational platform and audience-curated visitor experiences, Americans of all ages, backgrounds, and locations will learn leadership virtues of Courage, Integrity, Commitment, Sacrifice, Citizenship, and Patriotism to inspire them to transform lives, shape the future, and carry forward the best traditions of what it means to be American."

Go to the link in the description so you can learn more. National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership City: Mount Pleasant Address: 962 Houston Northcutt Blvd Website: https://mohcenterforleadership.org/