COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP): State lawmakers have honored six Ohio members of the military who died recently in U.S. combat operations.

The General Assembly held a joint legislative session on Thursday to award the state's Military Medal of Distinction to families of service members. The ceremony comes ahead of the Memorial Day holiday.

The medal was created by law in 2009 to pay tribute to Ohioans who lost their lives fighting in conflicts. Both chambers of the state Legislature are required to meet at least once a year to recognize medal recipients killed in the line of duty.

Ohioans are eligible for the medal if they were killed after Sept. 10, 2001, while fighting against U.S. enemies, serving in combat zones or engaging in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force.