In 2010, Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta became the first living Medal of Honor recipient in nearly 40 years.  Those who receive the coveted honor usually say their teammates share in the honor, and Giunta was no exception. In fact, he recently gave the medal to the brigade with whom he served, saying it belonged to all of them. 

Giunta was born Jan. 21, 1985, and grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He was the oldest of three children in an Italian-American family. In 2003, Giunta, then 17, saw a recruitment commercial while working at a sandwich restaurant, and he decided to enlist in the Army. He went to basic training and was assigned to the 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team based in Vicenza, Italy, in May 2004.