Today is the 32nd year that the United States will celebrate National Medal of Honor Day. The holiday was signed into law by President George H W Bush on the 15th of November 1990, and it is celebrated on the 25th of March to commemorate the first 23 men to receive the Medal of Honor on the 25th of March 1863. But why is this so important?

In short, it is important to read the stories of the 3,511 recipients that went above and beyond the call of duty to do the right thing, knowing what the consequences could be. For many recipients, they never lived to receive the highest military award for valor. Others have had to live with the Medal as a public reminder of the worst day of their life. Statistically, everyone reading this will never have to jump on a live grenade to save our friends but our lives will have metaphorical grenades tossed our way. It is up us to do the right thing, no matter what the cost, and if that means jumping on these “grenades”, then these stories should act as inspiration.

I have committed the next thirty years of my life to telling every single one of these stories but today, the 25th, here are 25 stories I think you should check out. For more stories and episodes, visit Tales of Honor Podcast online or on your favorite media app.