January 8, 2017 - Marine Corps 1st Lt. Aaron Cranford receives the Navy and Marine Corps Medal from Maj. Gen. Craig Q. Timberlake, the commanding general for 3rd Marine Division, during an award ceremony at the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion Headquarters building on Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan. Cranford was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for risking his life while rescuing three divers and a local Okinawan who were caught in rip current during a recreational dive at Onna Point, Okinawa, Japan on April 23, 2017. (Image created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. Marine Corps photos by Lance Cpl. Josue Marquez)

Note... The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the highest non-combat decoration awarded for heroism by the United States Department of the Navy to the members of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. This award hinges on the actual level of personal "life threatening" risk experienced by the awardee. For heroic performance to rise to this level it must be clearly established that the act involved very specific life-threatening risk to the awardee.

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