What every recipient of the Medal of Honor I've ever met said: "I was just doing my job."

Fun fact: near the end of a black-tie honors dinner for several recipients of the Medal of Honor, some little guy in a Marine uniform plopped down on my lap. Drink in hand, Medal of Honor around his neck, he said, "Those guys at the front table are boring!" Then, remaining on my lap, he told several jokes and stories. He was Colonel Harvey C. "Barney" Barnum Jr. Obviously, that was a high point in my life.

Years later, in Afghanistan, I received a MUCH lesser medal. Its citation included "used his body to shield coalition Soldiers from enemy gunfire."

But you know what? I don't have any heartburn about receiving that dinky little Army Commendation Medal. Because I was just doing my job. And I know the guys who received the Medal of Honor did a helluva lot more than I ever did.