Final answer:
The Executive Agent for the Cold War Recognition Program is the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF).
Step-by-step explanation:
The Executive Agent for the Cold War Recognition Program is (c) Secretary of Defense (SECDEF). This is based on the fact that the Secretary of Defense is the civilian head of the Department of Defense and is an essential member of the Cabinet involved in foreign policy. Although other military officials like the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) or the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) are top uniformed officers, they are not the heads of the Department of Defense. The Secretary of Defense, being in a leading position related to defense policy and oversight, would be apt as the Executive Agent for a recognition program that acknowledges services of military and civilian personnel during the Cold War era.