Why do most recent Medal of Honor recipients leave the military shortly after being awarded it?

John Basilone didn't retire

I think it's mostly due to the regulation that MoH winners must be saluted by all ranks. Again just my opinion.

I don't think this is entirely accurate. John Bastalone returned to the operating forces after receiving the MOH for actions on Guadalcanal. He was also killed in action on IwoJima. I think it has more to do w/ the publicity, and the military parading them around.

Well, I think in large part, the men who receive the MoH, are warriors to the core, (mostly, there are always exceptions), and as warriors, they want to be up with their guys, and since PIO's love to have "heros" to parade around, they try to drag them up for show and tell. The vast majority of grunts who I know from multiple eras want nothing to do with the Politicing at that level, so once they see they are not going anywhere else, and have been taken away from the people they ARE comfortable with, they would rather leave. DoD, Public Affairs, has a mistaken (my opinion) belief that it would be bad for morale to loose one of our top Hero's. whereas often times that may be the man who inspires those around them to go that extra mile to win the day. Very few have ever been able to get back to the lines once the MoH has been awarded, and from what I have read, they have only been able to do it by going AWOL and just showing up back at their units, because they just want to do their jobs. And that was WW2 - VietNam era when they could even get away with it anyway.

Politics, remarks complete..

A lot did, you just don't hear about them. Met two in my 26 years of service. Both ex-Army who had transferred to the Navy. Forgot their names but I remember one of them was a Postal Clerk in Charleston SC.

The MOH recipient is under a lot of stress, from senior enlisted and officers to portray the MOH in the best possible way. Many leave the service to avoid answering stupid questions and requirements.

In High School, my NJROTC senior instructor was Marine Colonel Robert Modrzejewski, a recipient of the MoH from his actions as a Captain during Operation Hastings in Vietnam.

He went on to the War College afterwards and commanded the barracks at 8th and I in the District of Criminals.

I'm certain that he is far from the only recipient of the Medal to continue his career after being awarded.

Not all MOH Recipients retire after getting the award. I served with Viet Nam MOH Recipient GySgt A J Kellog who went on to retire as a SgtMaj of Marines!

Probably because what was done to earn it messed them up both physically and mentally enough that they can't stay in.