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WHAT WE DO
To sum up our activities in three words: "we give
attaboys".
Below you will find thumbnail sketches of most of our community awards programs.
If you have any questions or want to suggest someone we may want to consider
for nomination, feel free to
contact us at your convenience.
LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMENDATION
AWARD
The Law Enforcement Commendation Medal may be presented by NSSAR, ILSSAR, or a local Chapter to any natural person who has served with distinction and devotion in the field of law enforcement.
The range of persons who can be honored is not limited to police officers; hence judges, probation oficers, and others are eligible. In the Fort Dearborn-Chicago Chapter, any member can nominate a potential recipient, and the Board of Managers will vote on the nomination.
The medal is in a police badge design surmounted by a gold
eagle with the SAR badge below. It comes with a cloth bar, suitable for
uniform wear, and an engrossed certificate.
ROTC AWARDS
The SAR ROTC Medal is approved by the United States Army,
Navy, and Air Force.
This award may be presented by NSSAR, ILSSAR or a chapter to students enrolled
in ROTC programs. The intent of the medal is to foster the principle of
citizen-soldiery exemplified by the Minutemen. Recipients are selected by
the commanding officer of the ROTC unit, who is given full discretion in
making the selection.
The medal is circular, with the obverse depicting a Minuteman taking up his gun and leaving his plow, with the Liberty Bell in the background. The reverse is inscribed: "Awarded for Leadership, Soldierly Bearing and Excellence to_____" The medal is suspended from a ribbon of the SAR colors.
Silver medals are presented to students in a college or
university ROTC program. Bronze medals are awarded to students in secondary
school ROTC units.
ORATORICAL CONTEST
The NSSAR maintains an endowment fund that provides monetary
awards for the top three winners of the Joseph S. Rumbaugh Historical Patriotic
Oration Contest, as well as providing them with appropriate certificates
and Olympic size medals suspended from neck ribbons.
High school students, selected by English and History teachers and Principals,
compete on the local level, with a winner chosen by a judge or judges who
belong to the local chapter. Local winners compete at the annual ILSSAR
meeting, and the state winner goes on to compete at the annual NSSAR Congress
(accompanied by an appropriate chaperone).
EAGLE SCOUT PROGRAM
The NSSAR maintains an Eagle Scout Foundation Fund that provides monies for scholarships, medals and certificates to recognize young men who have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.
Eagle Scouts selected at the chapter level go on to compete at the state level, where the winner receives the SAR Eagle Scout Medal.
The winners on the state level then compete nationally, and the winner and runner-up nationally receive all expense paid trips to the NSSAR National Congress, where they are duly honored and presented with scholarship checks of $4,000.00 for the winner and $1,000.00 for the runner up.
GOOD CITIZENSHIP
AWARDS
The SAR recognizes good citizenship on the national, state and local level.
The GOLD Good Citizenship Medal is the national level award, given for outstanding and unusual patriotic achievement and service of national importance. It may be given to persons in government (including the military), education, business and the professions, religion, and other appropriate fields of endeavor. While a Chapter may initiate a request for the award, such requests must be signed by the ILSSAR President and forwarded to the Executive Secretary of NSSAR for review and approval by the NSSAR Medals and Awards Committee and the NSSAR Executive Committee. Some of the more recent recipients of this medal include Colin Powell, Norman Schwartzkoff, and Bob Hope.
The SILVER Good Citizenship Medal recognizes outstanding service on a more local level. It may be given by ILSSAR, or requested by a Chapter and approved by ILSSAR, to someone for outstanding service to the profession, or business or religious community of which the person is a member. It is also awarded to recognize leadership abilities that a person has demonstrated in various local organizations such as church, school, scouting, government, sports, veterans, conservation, and others.
The BRONZE Good Citizenship Medal is awarded to recognize noteworthy achievedments in school or community, and may be awarded to minors. Criteria vary widely, and are determined by the presenting body, usually the local Chapter. Criteria that have been used, for example, are highest grades in history, best record in citizenship, overall scholarship, and persons, both adults and minors, who have made important contributions to their community.
FIRE SAFETY COMMENDATION AWARD
The field of fire safety and service is a highly technical and skilled profession, comprised of dedicated citizens whose one ultimate goal is to protect human life and property from fire.
It is only fitting that we should recognize the men and women in this selfless field with the SAR Fire Safety Commendation Medal.
This award may be presented by NASSAR, ILSSAR, or a local Chapter to persons in the field.
Not just firemen, but Emergency Medical Technicians (Paramedics),
Fire Marshals, arson investigators, state and federal forestry officers,
insurance risk managers, building inspectors, or any of myriad others whose
duties involve protecting us from the ravages of fire are eligible to receive
this award.
HEROISM AWARD
This award is presented by NASSAR, ILSSAR, and local chapters to recognize outstanding bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of imminent danger, i.e., acts which involve great personal courage and risk to the recipient.
It is intended primarily for acts by private citizens, but does not exclude policemen or firemen for actions above and beyond those which would qualify for the Law Enforcement or Fire Commendation medals.
The only restriction on the award is that it should not be awarded for acts which would be covered by any armed forces medals for valor.
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