Congressman Duncan Hunter is very straightforward when you ask him why Marine Corps Sergeant Rafael Peralta should receive a Medal of Honor, the highest military honor in the United States.

“He deserves it. Period,” said in a recent interview Hunter, a member of the House of Representatives from California’s 50th district, which includes most of San Diego County.

Sergeant Rafael Peralta is credited with absorbing the impact of a grenade while fatally wounded to save the lives of his Marines during intense fighting in Fallujah, Iraq, in November 2004.

Peralta was a San Diego resident who emigrated from Mexico City as a child, and enlisted in the Marines as soon as he obtained his permanent residency in 2000. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2003.

Although Peralta has received many awards and recognition for his heroism, he’s been denied the Medal of Honor by two secretaries of defense, Robert Gates and Leon Pennetta. Hunter said that the current secretary, Chuck Hagel, has shown great interest in reviewing the case again.

Secretary Hagel is a veteran himself who was in combat in Vietnam, so he understands what it is to be in combat much better than his predecessors, Hunter said.

Peralta deserves the Medal of Honor for making the final sacrifice for his Marine brothers, and as a former Marine himself who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hunter said that this is also about “Marine brotherhood.”

“I would do this for any of my Marines,” he said. “Once again, I’m not trying to give him anything. He earned it. Today, seven Marines are alive because he did this.”

Hunter said that the public can help in this issue by writing letters and calling their elected officials.

“Any type of feedback they can submit to my office, any petition, anything like that,” he said. “Any feedback from people who know the details will help.”

In recent years, Peralta has received many awards and recognitions.

In 2006, the San Diego Police Department posthumously awarded Sgt. Peralta the honorary title of San Diego police officer for his heroism in Iraq. He had long wanted to be a San Diego police officer.

In 2007, the 31st MEU Command Post, building 2533 Camp Hansen, Okinawa, was named Peralta Hall in his honor.

The History Channel produced a one hour-documentary on Sgt. Peralta called Act of Honor, which is available in English and Spanish.

Most recently, in September, the USS Rafael Peralta was named after him at a ceremony attended by his family, including his brother Ricardo Peralta.

“It’s really emotional for the family because his nomination for the Medal of Honor has now been turned down more than once,” said Ricardo Peralta, who now himself serves in the Marines. “But we know that there’s not a single decoration or medal that they can give him that will make us more proud. We’re proud to the fullest.”

Several veterans associations in San Diego support Hunter’s effort to award the Medal of Honor to Peralta.

The Logan Heights Veterans Memorial Committee Vice-chairman Frank Peralta (no relation to Sergeant Rafael Peralta) said that “we are behind Duncan Hunter on this 100 percent. Hunter has been fighting this fight from day one.”

Frank Peralta asked “how can we put barriers for a person who saved others around him, his fellow Marines? He did the job he was taught to do. He made the ultimate sacrifice. Now it is time to meet our end of the bargain and give him what he earned.”

Frank Peralta said that the Don Diego VFW Post 7420 also supports this cause. Frank Peralta has been a past commander of the post, located in Logan Heights.

The veteran made it clear that the Logan Heights Veterans Memorial Committee doesn’t believe there’s any sort of racism or discrimination involved in this case.

“I definitely don’t think that,” he said. “As far as we know, he was a Marine. A Marine is a Marine, be it black, brown or white. That is all there is to it.”

Finally, Frank Peralta said that those who are getting in the way of Sergeant Peralta receiving the Medal of Honor would never do what he did to save his fellow Marines.

“Would those guys put their bodies over a grenade? Hell no! I don’t think so!” Frank Peralta said.

In the end, giving Sergeant Rafael Peralta the Medal of Honor is bringing justice to the United States of America, Hunter said.

“This is doing the right thing for Sergeant Peralta, for his family, for the Marines, for our country,” he said.