Tom Cruise receives Navy’s highest honor for roles in military films

A very rare distinction for an actor. Tom Cruise received the United States Navy’s highest civilian honor for his “outstanding contributions” to the military through his film roles, such as in the hit film saga “Top Gun,” says the Associated Press.

The 62-year-old American actor received the “Distinguished Public Service Award”, which could be translated as “the Public Service Award” from the hands of the American Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, during a ceremony organized in Longcross Studios near London.

The Navy believes Tom Cruise has increased “public awareness and appreciation for highly trained military personnel and the sacrifices they make in uniform.”

An advertisement for the American army

“Top Gun,” the hit 1986 film about Cold War flying aces, made Tom Cruise a superstar and allowed the military to recruit. The Navy even took advantage of the success of the film to install recruitment tables in cinemas.

An interest observed again 36 years later, with the release of “Top Gun: Maverick” in 2022, in which Tom Cruise, in his role, mentors a new generation of elite aviators.

According to the Navy, this sequel “brought nostalgia to older audiences and invigorated the minds of new audience members, effectively targeting younger audiences’ interest in the skills and opportunities that the navy can offer.” The actor was also praised for his roles in “Born on the Fourth of July,” “A Few Good Men” (1992) and the “Mission: Impossible” films.