I've met only one MOH earner in my entire life and recall, to this day, my exact reaction when I did.
At the time, I was a newbie 2LT attending IOBC in Ft. Benning, GA. Two of my fellow 2LTs and I decided to take a weekend visit to Andersonville Civil War Prison to check it out. Enroute to Andersonville, all three of us were laughing, sporting Ray-Ban sunglasses, and listening to very loud music from the Violent Femmes.
After the tour, as we were leaving the main building at Andersonville, an elderly gentleman with a cane (obviously retired) dressed in civilian clothes came into view, walking slowly and quietly toward us on his way into the museum. When we got closer to the man, we then saw the blue ribbon hanging from around his neck. At that point, my friends and I stopped dead in our tracks and gave this man a very silent, sharp salute as he passed us (we had learned that officers and enlisted alike are supposed to salute anyone bearing the MOH, regardless of their rank and regardless of whether they're in uniform -- it's the medal, not the man). I never talked to the man, and never asked him his name. But this was probably one of the most moving encounters with another human being that I have ever had in my entire life, especially in the setting of Andersonville. The whole encounter lasted only a few seconds, but I will never forget it. The car ride back to Ft. Benning was much quieter as I recall.
That's why I was wondering what the ROTC cadets will be thinking when they eventually bump into this MOH earner on campus in the fall.
I don't think I've even shared this story with my family! It's a story that no one can really appreciate or understand unless you've served.