The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, alongside the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by decision of the president of the United States to "any person recommended to the President for award of the Medal or any person selected by the President upon his own initiative",[3] and was created to recognize people who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to (1) the security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."[4] The award is not limited to U.S. citizens, and, while it is a civilian award, it can also be awarded to military personnel and worn on the uniform. It was established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, superseding the Medal of Freedom that was initially established by President Harry S. Truman in 1945 to honor civilian service.
Occasionally, the medal award is further denoted as, "with distinction." There are no specific criteria for receiving the award with distinction; Executive Order11085 simply specifies that the award should come in two degrees, and hence any decision to award the higher degree is entirely at the discretion of the president. In 2017, President Barack Obama stated that receiving the award with distinction indicates "an additional level of veneration"[5] in a class of individuals already held in the highest esteem. As of June 2024[update], the medal had been awarded with distinction at least 55 times, amounting to approximately 8% of all awards.[6]
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the supreme civilian decoration that can be awarded in discretion of the president, whereas its predecessor, the Medal of Freedom, was inferior in precedence to the Medal for Merit; the Medal of Freedom was awarded by any of three Cabinet secretaries, whereas the Medal for Merit was awarded by the president, as is the Presidential Medal of Freedom.[7]
Overview
President John F. Kennedy established the presidential version of the decoration in 1963 through Executive Order11085 (signed February 22, 1963), with unique and distinctive insignia, vastly expanded purpose, and far higher prestige.[8][9] It was the first U.S. civilian neck decoration and, if awarded with Distinction, is the only U.S. sash and star decoration (the Chief Commander degree of the Legion of Merit—which may only be awarded to foreign heads of state—is a star decoration but without a sash). The executive order calls for the medal to be awarded annually on or around July 4, and at other convenient times as chosen by the president,[7] but it has not been awarded every year (e.g., 2001, 2010). The recipient selection process is not made public, but the Trump administration stated that it included recommendations and nominations from the public, Cabinet, White House senior staff, and other presidential advisory bodies, which were then vetted prior to presentation to the President.[10] The order establishing the medal also expanded the size and the responsibilities of the Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board so it could serve as a major source of such recommendations.[8]
In 1970, President Richard Nixon awarded the medal to the entire Apollo 13 mission operations team, as well as to the mission's crew.[14]
Athlete and activist Simone Biles is the youngest person to receive this award at the age of 25.[15]
Insignia
Medal and accoutrements, including the service ribbon, miniature and lapel badgeThe Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, as worn with white tie
The badge of the Presidential Medal of Freedom is in the form of a golden star with white enamel, with a red enamel pentagon behind it; the central disc bears thirteen gold stars on a blue enamel background (taken from the Great Seal of the United States) within a golden ring. Golden bald eagles with spread wings stand between the points of the star. It is worn around the neck on a blue ribbon having white edge stripes. Women may choose to receive the award as a bow worn on the left chest (as for Margaret Thatcher).
A special and rarely granted award, called the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction,[16] has a larger version of the same badge, which is worn as a star on the left chest. It comes with a sash that is worn over the right shoulder (similarly to the Grand Cross of an order of chivalry), with its rosette (blue with a white edge, bearing the central disc of the badge at its center) resting on the left hip. When the medal with Distinction is awarded, the star may be presented hanging from a neck ribbon and can be identified by its size, which is larger than the standard badge.
In addition to the full-size insignia, the award is accompanied by a service ribbon for wear on military service uniforms,[17] a miniature medal pendant for wear on mess dress or civilian formal wear, and a lapel badge for wear on civilian clothes, all of which comes in the full presentation set. There is a silver bald eagle with spread wings on the miniature and service ribbon, or a golden bald eagle for a medal awarded with Distinction.
The Insignia was designed by the Army's Institute of Heraldry, led by Col. Harry Downing Temple.[18]
Revocation
There is no process for the award to be revoked. This issue has been raised regarding certain recipients, in particular regarding the award given to actor and comedian Bill Cosby.[19]
↑ Executive Order 11515, signed March 13, 1970; Federal Register 35 FR 4543. "The President may select for the award of the Medal any person recommended to the President for award of the Medal or any person selected by the President upon his own initiative."
↑ Clinton, W. J. (September 30, 1993). "Remarks on the Retirement of General Colin Powell in Arlington, Virginia". The American Presidency Project; University of California, Santa Barbara. Retrieved July 5, 2023. In recognition of your legacy and service, of your courage and accomplishment, today, General Powell, I was honored to present you with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, with distinction. I want to tell all those here in attendance that this was the second Medal of Freedom you have received, the first from President Bush in 1991. And today, you became only the second American citizen in the history of the Republic to be the recipient of two Medals of Freedom.
↑ Torreon, Barbara Salazar (March 31, 2004). A Guide to Major Congressional and Presidential Awards(PDF). Vol.RS20884. Library of Congress; Congressional Research Service. p.4. Archived from the original(PDF) on October 10, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2011– via USAF Air University. There are two degrees of the Medal, the higher being the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction.
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