Tom Cruise was awarded the US Navy’s highest civilian honour for “outstanding contributions to the Navy and the Marine Corps” with his performance on screen, AP News reported.
Cruise received the Distinguished Public Service Award by US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro in a ceremony at Longcross Studios near London.
I admire all of the servicemen and women. I know in life, something that is very true to me, is that is to lead is to serve. And I know that to my core. And I see that in the servicemen and women.
The Navy stated that Cruise “increased public awareness and appreciation for our highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform.” The film Top Gun, which made him a movie star, caused a surge in enlistments.
Interest was renewed when the sequel Top Gun: Maverick was released in 2022. The actor starred in it as a mentor to a new generation of elite airmen. The Navy said the sequel “brought nostalgia to older audiences and reinvigorated the minds of newer audience members, which effectively targeted a younger audience’s interest in the skill sets and opportunities the Navy can provide.”
Cruise was also praised for his parts in Born on the Fourth of July, A Few Good Men and Mission: Impossible. His next movie, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, will be released in May 2025.
