Tom Cruise gets a top U.S Navy honor for boosting the military with his screen roles

LONDON (AP) — The world’s most famous fictional Top Gun is now a decorated naval hero.

Tom Cruise was awarded the U.S. Navy’s top civilian honor on Tuesday for “outstanding contributions to the Navy and the Marine Corps” with “Top Gun” and other films.

Cruise, who has been working in the U.K., was given the Distinguished Public Service Award by U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro in a ceremony at Longcross Studios near London.

The 62-year-old actor said he was proud to receive the “extraordinary acknowledgement,” which came with a medal and a certificate.

“I admire all of the servicemen and women,” Cruise said. “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 said Cruise had “increased public awareness and appreciation for our highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform.”

“Top Gun,” the smash hit 1986 movie about Cold War flying aces, made Cruise a star and drove a spike in military enlistment. The Navy even set up recruitment tables in theaters.

Interest was renewed with the 2022 sequel “Top Gun: Maverick,” in which Cruise’s character mentored a new generation of elite aviators.

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 into the skill sets and opportunities the Navy can provide.”

Cruise was also commended for his roles in “Born on the Fourth of July,” “A Few Good Men” and the “Mission: Impossible” movies.

Cruise’s next on-screen adventure, “Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning,” is due for release in May 2025.