We need the best, and that is exactly what Brad Kasal gave us. But we are coming perilously close to dishonoring him by denying the tribute he deserves: the Medal of Honor.

"Brad Kasal defines exactly what it is to be a hero," Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Mike Lehnert said recently. "It is hard to see how anyone could rate a Medal of Honor more than Brad."

Let me second Lehnert. I, too, am a combat Marine (Vietnam) and testified about this honor before the House Armed Services Committee in 2006. By acknowledging those who serve above and beyond the call of duty, we pay tribute to the military services while putting a human face on the war.

If you doubt the importance of courage, consider the counsel of Winston Churchill: "Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities ... because it is the quality which guarantees all others."

The short history of Kasal's actions is that he saved numerous Marines in a hellhole called Fallujah, Iraq. He valiantly responded to a distress call from his platoon. He pulled Marines out of the line of fire and was shot seven times in the process. Then an insurgent rolled a grenade toward Kasal, who was badly injured and on the ground. Seeing the grenade, Kasal rolled over another Marine, shielding him from the blast. Kasal absorbed 40 shrapnel wounds.

Unfortunately, this Pentagon acts as if it is afraid to honor the most valiant among us. Since the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq began in 2002, we have yet to honor a single living member of the armed forces with the nation's most cherished award.

In fairness, President Bush has awarded five Medals of Honor, all to decedents. To place this in context, one can divide the number of fatalities by the number of medals awarded, comparing Vietnam with current engagements. For Afghanistan and Iraq, the ratio is 820 fatalities for each Medal of Honor awarded. For Vietnam, the ratio is 235 fatalities for each medal.

The Pentagon has also been slow in preparing documentation. Evidence suggests that a process done with astonishing speed when powered by carrier pigeons in World War II has now decelerated to a slow crawl in an age of e-mail and satellite phones.

The statutory requirement for the Medal of Honor has not changed: conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty. Throughout this century, three pieces of paper have been required, a page for each of the two eyewitness accounts, and one for a narrative of the valorous action. To undertake this process, the Pentagon is now averaging more than two years, or eight months a page. By comparison, President Clinton awarded two Medals of Honor for valor in Somalia about six months after the acts of heroism.

Kasal has endured 21 operations to repair the injuries that will plague him for life. One leg is 4 inches shorter than the other. But that doesn't stop Kasal, who goes to work every day as a sergeant major at the Des Moines U.S. Marine Corps recruiting command.

Kasal doesn't believe he rates the Medal of Honor. He sees his incredible act of heroism as duty, even a privilege. He has his own list of who should receive the Medal of Honor, and his name isn't on it.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates should immediately upgrade Kasal's Navy Cross to the Medal of Honor. He also should replace the current awards committee with combat veterans who understand the importance of valor and of honoring the living. The heroes of this war deserve their day in the sun.