He earned numerous awards, medals, and decorations including the Armed Services Bronze Star Medal, American Defense Service Medal, European, African and Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem, Good Conduct Medal with two silver loops, and Air Force Longevity Service Award with four Oak Leaf Clusters.
During his career, he won the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
During his tenure with the USAF until July 1994, he rose to the rank of Colonel and Chief, Managed Care Division for the Office of the Air Force Surgeon General, attaining numerous military decorations throughout his years of service, including: the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (with three oak leaf clusters), the Air Force Commendation Medal, (with one oak leaf cluster), the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with two oak leaf clusters) and the National Defense Service Medal (with one star).
Thornton's decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Kuwaiti Liberation Medal, the Southwest Asia Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Humanitarian Medal.
Among his military decorations are the Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Aircrew Badge, and Master Space Badge.
Catlin's awards include the Defense Meritorious Service medal with an oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Commendation medal, the Joint Service Achievement medal, the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters, the Master Air Force Acquisition and Senior Air Force Space Operations badges.
He has received numerous military honors and decorations including a Bronze Star with a "V" for Valor for his service in Vietnam in 1968, three purple hearts, a Meritorious Service Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals with Combat "V" Device and a Navy Achievement Medal, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, The Air Force Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon (Vietnam and Beirut), a Vietnamese Honor Medal 1st Class and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.
