Suggestion. After completing the mission, after the debriefing screen. You should add some immersion text saying, "commendation ceremony at 0200 hours, wear grey formal uniforms" yadda yadda. Also for dead companions ;_; should make a screen of the ones that didn't make it back. similar text, wear blue uniforms and I don't know, click ok, and back to the geoscape. After that nothing else happens.
I got the idea after playing the new Wing Commander Saga standalone, some guy died during the second mission, and I love the profession script they have in these old space sims, very realistic and immersing.