What is the highest Medal a civilian can get?

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with the comparable Congressional Gold Medal—the highest civilian award in the U.S. It recognizes those individuals who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the ...

Can a civilian get a Medal of Honor?

There are eight civilians who have received the Medal of Honor. The civilian recipients were all from the Civil War era, including the only woman to receive the medal, Mary Edwards Walker, a surgeon for the Union Army during the Civil War.

What medals can a civilian get?

What is the civilian version of the Medal of Honor?

Civilian Award Medal of Honor. Alternative Views: The Civilian Award is awarded to a Civilian who, at great personal risk, was instrumental in rescuing or saving another person or was instrumental in their community. This medal is affixed to a neck style ribbon and placed into a presentation case.

What is the highest award a civilian can get for bravery?

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society is regarded as the most prestigious organization in the United States because its members are solely comprised of recipients of our nation's highest award for valor in combat – The Medal of Honor.

Top 10 Most Prestigious Medals

Is the Medal of Honor real gold?

An inquiry by The Washington Times showed that the Congressional Medal of Honor, awarded for exceptional wartime combat gallantry, costs $29.98 to produce and is made mostly of brass alloy.

Has anyone won 2 Medal honors?

To date, the maximum number of Medals of Honor earned by any service member has been two. The last living individual to be awarded two Medals of Honor was John J. Kelly October 3, 1918; the last individual to receive two Medals of Honor for two different actions was Smedley Butler, in 1914 and 1915.

Is a bronze star a big deal?

The Bronze Star Medal, or BSM, dates back to World War II. Today, it is the fourth-highest ranking award a service member can receive for a heroic and meritorious deed performed in an armed conflict. For those who receive the BSM, it is a signal of their sacrifice, bravery and honor while serving their country.

How much money does a Medal of Honor recipient receive?

A Monthly Pension and Special Retirement Pay

As of Dec. 1, 2020, Medal of Honor recipients receive a $1,406.73 monthly pension with annual cost-of-living increases in line with the Social Security Administration's increases.

What is a Category 3 civilian?

Civilian (Category III) Personnel in the grades of GS/GG-13 through GG/GS-15 or equivalent. NCO Personnel in grades Staff Sergeant through Technical Sergeant. SNCO Personnel in the grades Master Sergeant through Senior Master Sergeant (CMSgt selects are not eligible to compete for quarterly or annual awards).

What is the highest honor?

Summa cum laude, which means "with highest honor," is the highest academic award designated for students in the top 1-5% of a class or those with a GPA of 3.9-4.0. Like the magna cum laude honor, the requirements for summa cum laude may vary by institution and department.

What's the highest Medal of Honor?

The nation's highest military award for valor is the Medal of Honor, presented by the president in Congress' name. By law, only U.S. service members who distinguish themselves “through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty” can receive the medal.

Do generals salute Medal of Honor winners?

Military tradition dictates all uniformed service members salute to Medal-of-Honor awardees regardless of rank. Even the most-senior military officer will participate in this tradition out of respect for the sacrifices the awardees made.

Does Oprah have a Medal of Freedom?

Oprah Winfrey is one of the world's most successful broadcast journalists. She is best known for creating The Oprah Winfrey Show, which became the highest rated talk show in America for 25 years. Ms.

Has a woman ever won the Medal of Honor?

Out of the nearly 3,500 Medal of Honor recipients, only one was a woman -- just one -- and her medal was actually rescinded just before she died. In honor of Women's History Month, we're looking back on the life of that exceptional woman: Dr. Mary Walker, who helped change the face of medicine during the Civil War.

Who is the most decorated soldier in history?

Audie Murphy (1924–1971) was the most decorated soldier in US history, winning 24 medals from the Congressional Medal of Honor down. His exploits were the subject of To Hell and Back (USA, 1956), in which he starred as himself.

What is Purple Heart in military?

Currently, the Purple Heart, per regulation is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after April 5, 1917 has been wounded, killed, or has died after ...

Has anyone refused the Medal of Honor?

Harry S.

Truman blocked an effort by the House of Representatives to award him the Presidential Medal of Honor in 1971. President Truman famously said he would rather get the Medal of Honor, a military honor, than be president. But in 1971, he blocked an attempt by the House of Representatives to give him the medal.

Who is the youngest Medal of Honor winner?

Jack Lucas was 17 when he became the youngest Medal of Honor recipient since the Civil War after jumping onto two grenades to save his fellow Marines.

Does anyone have 3 Medals of Honor?

President Joe Biden awarded the nation's highest military honor to the three during a White House ceremony yesterday. Cashe and Celiz were honored posthumously, while Plumlee received the award in person.

What is a mint Medal?

Mint produces a variety of national medals to commemorate significant historical events or sites and to honor those whose superior deeds and achievements have enriched U.S. history or the world. Some of these are bronze duplicates of Congressional Gold Medals authorized by Congress under separate Public Laws.

Did any Confederate soldiers get the Medal of Honor?

The Medal of Honor, created by Congress during the Civil War as America's highest military decoration for valor, was never meant for Americans who fought for the South. They were the enemy, after all.