The Defense Department’s valor website now includes the names of Medal of Honor recipients by service since the medal’s inception, announced Pentagon officials on Thursday. Previously, the site included only the names of MOH recipients since Sept. 11, 2001. DOD plans to complete a similar expansion for recipients of the service crosses by March 31, said Navy Lt. Nate Christensen, a Pentagon spokesman, in DOD’s Feb. 28 release. When that task is finished, the site will provide the name, rank, and conflict of all MOH and service crosses recipients—there are exceptions as some recipients are omitted due to security, privacy, and administrative reasons—as well as Silver Star Medal recipients since Sept. 11, 2001. Pentagon officials are still examining the feasibility of listing Silver Star recipients for actions before Sept. 11, 2001, states the release. “Unlike Medal of Honor and Service Cross data, Silver Star Medal data are not readily available, and obtaining information on pre-9/11 Silver Star Medal recipients will likely be much more difficult, costly, and time-consuming,” said Christensen. DOD created the valor website last year to raise awareness of service members’ heroism and to help deter those who falsely claim military honors. (AFPS report by Claudette Roulo)
The new defense reconciliation bill includes $7.2 billion for Air Force and Navy aviation accounts, almost half of which will buy more F-15EXs. While electronic warfare, drones, connectivity and airlift all get attention, the F-35 was conspicuously absent from the package, with no explanation given.