On Dec. 17, Hollywood icon Tom Cruise was honored with the U.S. Navy’s highest civilian accolade, the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award. The ceremony took place at the Longcross Film Studios in Chertsey, Surrey, where the actor accepted his certificate and medal.
Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro, presented the award, saying Cruise has been a naval advocate and has “inspired generations to serve in our Navy and Marine Corps.” He praised the 62-year-old actor’s decades-long commitment, not only to the servicemen and women, but also to their families. Cruise, in turn, addressed Del Toro, saying that he’s personally known him for years and expressed his deep respect for the care he has for servicemen and women.
“I accept this on behalf of not just myself, but our entire cast, our crew, our writer, directors, the studios in Hollywood who are so dedicated to helping. 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.”
One of Cruise’s most iconic roles is his portrayal of U.S. Naval Aviator Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, which was a global success, earning more than $357 million on a $15 million budget. The sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, was released in 2022 and achieved extraordinary success, earning a staggering $1.4 billion at the box office.
How Top Gun influenced Navy recruitment
It was widely reported that a 500 percent increase in naval recruitment was seen after the release of Top Gun. The source of that number has never been confirmed, but it’s since been proven to be false. As AAP Factcheck points out, while there was an increase in recruitment, the rate is a more plausible 8.3 percent. Based on official information, there were 87,593 Navy enlistments the year before the movie was released compared to 94,878 after Top Gun hit theaters.
In 2022, the military hoped Top Gun: Maverick would yield the same results. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected military recruitment, as recruiting offices shut down. The Air Force saw an opportunity to entice potential recruits with the help of Top Gun: Maverick.
The Air Force’s Maj. Gen. Edward Thomas at that time said, “Frankly, we hope people get excited all over again about what we do. Whether they want to aim high or fly Navy, we just want them to come join us.” Recruiting stations were set up outside movie theaters in hopes of getting sign-ups from interested individuals. The “Own the Sky” campaign video was also shown before the movie started. It seemed the effort is paying off as a spokesperson from the Navy Recruiting Command said recruitment for the fiscal year 2024 was a “success.”
A third Top Gun movie is reportedly in the works, but details have been scarce. Recently, Miles Teller, who portrayed the role of Bradley Bradshaw in Top Gun: Maverick, expressed his excitment over the third Top Gun movie but only revealed that Cruise would let him know when he should get back into shape before shooting the third movie.
Published: Dec 18, 2024 06:58 am