U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta was awarded the Medal of Honor for putting himself in the line of fire to save two comrades. He is the first living veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to receive the United States' highest military decoration, and the first since the Vietnam War. President Obama in his remarks spoke about the ongoing mission in Afghanistan, saying the medal is a testament not only to Sergeant Giunta’s bravery but also “all the men and women who served by his side.”