Military

Silver Star Recipients Added To Pentagon's Valor Database

By Beth Ford Roth / Home Post Blogger

Published September 25, 2012 at 10:05 AM PDT

This story was published more than 12 years ago.

Sgt. Ryan T. Sotelo receives Silver Star

The Pentagon's "Valor" website will now include recipients of the Silver Star - the third-highest combat decoration the U.S. military can award a service member.

According to the database website, the military awards the Silver Star for "gallantry in action"...

-While engaged in action against an enemy of the United States;

-While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or

-While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

The Department of Defense created the Valor website in response to the U.S Supreme Court striking down the Stolen Valor Act of 2005. That law made it a crime to lie about being the recipient of military medals. In his ruling, Justice Kennedy wrote that if the Pentagon created a database of all military medal recipients, it would make it easier to root out false claims.

The web address for the Valor site is http://valor.defense.gov.