Earning a medal in the military for any reason is a great honor. Not every servicemember has the opportunity, but the ones that do are usually very proud of their recognition. One of the most prestigious awards the military can give is the Bronze Star Medal. This gold star is given to soldiers who exhibited Heroic or Meritorious Achievement in battle. It may be awarded to servicemembers in any branch of the military who have displayed courage and valor superior to their peers.
When Fort Smith native Sgt. Robert Lopez was awarded the Bronze Star Medal on Sept. 29, he was exceptionally proud – but he did not keep the award for himself. The veteran gave the award to his father who was in attendance at the ceremony. Lopez earned his medal during his four years of service with the Marine Corps in Afghanistan and Iraq where he put himself on the line to protect the rest of his unit.
The sergeant told local news affiliate, KFSM 5 News, that he did not go into battle with the hopes of earning a Bronze Star.
"I was doing it because it needed to be done, and I could not have lived with myself if one of my Marines, or anybody at the time, would have got hurt or died," he told the news source.
The award ceremony took place at Lopez's parents' restaurant, and when the sergeant handed the medal to his father, both men broke down in tears. Lopez told the crowd that his father was the one who got him through combat, so he deserved the Bronze Star.
Domingo Lopez, the Marine's father, said that his son had made him extremely proud by not only winning the honor but selflessly giving it away.