Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service

The Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service is the highest award that is presented by the Secretary of Defense, to a private citizen, politician, non-career federal employee, or foreign national. It is presented for exceptionally distinguished service of significance to the Department of Defense as a whole, or a DoD Component or function, where recognition at the component level would not be sufficient for the service rendered.[1]

Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service
Obverse and reverse of the medal
TypeCivilian public service award
Awarded forExceptionally distinguished service of significance to a DoD Component or function, or Department of Defense as a whole.
Country United States
Presented byU.S. Secretary of Defense
EligibilityNon-career federal employees, private citizens, and foreign nationals.
Established1947
Ribbon bar of the medal
Precedence
Next (lower)Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service

Eligibility
Department of Defense Honorary Awards Programs chart

To be eligible for consideration the individual must have rendered exceptionally distinguished service of significance to the Department of Defense as a whole. Recognition may also be given for distinguished service of such exceptional significance to a Department of Defense Component or Function that recognition at the Component level would be insufficient. The service or assistance may have been rendered at considerable personal sacrifice and inconvenience and should be motivated by patriotism, good citizenship, and a sense of public responsibility.[2]

Normally, it is required that nominees have a direct working relationship with the most senior officials in the Federal government, e.g., Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of State.[3]

An individual may receive this award more than once with subsequent awards consisting of a bronze, silver, or gold palm, respectively.[2]

Description

The award consists of a gold medal, a miniature medal, a rosette, and a citation signed by the Secretary of Defense.[2]

The obverse of the medal depicts an eagle facing to the right clutching three arrows, below the eagle is a half laurel wreath. Above the eagle are thirteen stars with rays between the stars. This imagery is identical to the seal of the Department of Defense. The reverse contains the inscription "TO...FOR DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE". The edge of the medallion is surrounded by a laurel wreath on both the obverse and reverse. The medal is suspended from ribbon containing one central strip in maroon, with a white stripe on each side separating it from two blue stripes, with a thin white stripe at each edge.

Notable recipients
  • Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen presents a framed citation accompanying the medal given to Steven Spielberg.
    Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen presents a framed citation accompanying the medal given to Steven Spielberg.
  • Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen presents the medal to President Bill Clinton.
    Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen presents the medal to President Bill Clinton.
  • Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld presents Kristin Devold with the medal.
    Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld presents Kristin Devold with the medal.
  • Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates awards the medal to President George W. Bush.
    Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates awards the medal to President George W. Bush.
  • Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta presents Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak with the medal.
    Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta presents Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak with the medal.
  • Secretary Panetta presents former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton with the medal.
    Secretary Panetta presents former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton with the medal.
  • Secretary of Defense Ash Carter presents the medal to Madeleine Albright.
    Secretary of Defense Ash Carter presents the medal to Madeleine Albright.
  • Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James departs her farewell ceremony at Joint Base Andrews wearing the medal.
    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James departs her farewell ceremony at Joint Base Andrews wearing the medal.
  • Secretary Carter awards President Obama with the medal during an Armed Forces full honor review farewell ceremony.
    Secretary Carter awards President Obama with the medal during an Armed Forces full honor review farewell ceremony.
  • Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis awards House Speaker Paul Ryan with the medal.
    Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis awards House Speaker Paul Ryan with the medal.

See also

References
  1. "Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service" (PDF). Office of the Secretary of Defense. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-30. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  2. "Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service". Civilian Personnel Management Service. Retrieved 2011-07-17.
  3. Hunt, Amy (September 2007). "Department of Defense-Level Honorary Awards Guide". Washington Headquarters Services Human Resources Directorate Labor and Management Employee Relations Division. DOD. Archived from the original on 2009-08-14. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  4. Garamone, Jim (2016-06-30). "Carter Presents Albright With Distinguished Public Service Award". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  5. "Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Receives US Highest Medal for Distinguished Public Service". www.qna.org.qa. 2021-01-19. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  6. Bedard, Paul (2021-01-16). "Team Trump wins rare recognition: Kushner, Berkowitz, Scavino". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  7. Ser, Sam (2012-11-30). "Barak awarded US DOD's top civilian honor". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  8. "Distinguished Service". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  9. "Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates awards the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service to President George W. Bush". Navy News Service. 6 January 2009. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  10. "Remarks by General Dempsey, Denis McDonough, Jeremy Bash, Secretary Hagel, Deputy Secretary Carter, and Stephanie Carter in the Pentagon Auditorium". Department of Defense. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  11. "Defense.gov News Photos". 5 January 2001. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  12. "Secretary Panetta presents former Secretary Clinton with a medal". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  13. "Distinguished Service". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  14. "Michele A. Flournoy Honored in Farewell Ceremony". Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  15. "15 NOV 22 | SECDEF Present Sen. Jim Inhofe with the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award". Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  16. "Carter Bids Farewell to Air Force Secretary". U.S. Department of Defense. 2017-01-12. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  17. "Carter Presents Public Service Award to Homeland Security Secretary". U.S. Department of Defense. 2016-10-19. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  18. "11 Jan. 17 | SD recognizes Under Secretaries". Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  19. "Carter Presents Kissinger With DoD's Distinguished Public Service Award". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  20. "Shigeru Kitamura". American Global Strategies. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  21. Tan, Michelle (2015-10-23). "Army farewells Secretary John McHugh". Army Times. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  22. "Secretary of Defense Carter Presents the DoD Distinguished Public Service Award to Secretary of Energy Moniz". Energy.gov. 2016-11-23. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  23. Lamothe, Dan (2017-01-05). "Obama got the Pentagon's medal for distinguished public service, and Sarah Palin didn't like it". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  24. "Veteran Israeli Senior Security Specialist Zohar Palti Joins the Institute". The Washington Institute. 2022-05-19. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  25. "29 Nov 2016 | SD awards chief data scientist DoD Medal for Distinguished Public Service". Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  26. "Defense Dept. Farewell to President Reagan | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. 1989-01-12. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  27. Bowden, John. "Paul Ryan receives DOD Distinguished Public Service Award from Secretary Mattis". The Hill. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  28. "SD awards Eric Schmidt".
  29. "Remarks Honoring Brent Scowcroft with the DOD Distinguished Public Service Award". U.S. Department of Defense. 2016-05-18. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  30. "Secretary Cohen pins the DoD Medal for Distinguished Public Service on NATO Secretary General Solana". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  31. "Secretary Cohen presents a framed citation to Steven Spielberg". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  32. "Carter Honors Former Senate Armed Services Chairs For Dedication to DoD". www.defense.gov. 2016-09-21. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  33. "NATO Secretary General Arrival Ceremony | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. 1993-08-05. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  34. Pellerin, Cheryl (2017-01-13). "Work Receives Praise, DoD Distinguished Public Service Award". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
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