The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight uniformed services of the United States as well as to military and political figures of foreign governments.
The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high ranking member of the federal cabinet. The secretary of defense's position of command and authority over the military is second only to that of the president of the United States, who is the commander-in-chief. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a defense minister in many other countries. The secretary of defense is appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate, and is by custom a member of the Cabinet and by law a member of the National Security Council.
The Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) is a military award presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969.
Michael Luis Dominguez retired as the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness within the United States Department of Defense. He has held that position since his confirmation by the United States Senate on July 11, 2006.
Awards and decorations of the United States government are civilian awards of the U.S. federal government which are typically issued for sustained meritorious service, in a civilian capacity, while serving in the U.S. federal government. Certain U.S. government awards may also be issued to military personnel of the United States Armed Forces and be worn in conjunction with awards and decorations of the United States military. In order of precedence, those U.S. non-military awards and decorations authorized for wear are worn after U.S. military personal decorations and unit awards and before U.S. military campaign and service awards.
The Meritorious Public Service Medal formerly the Outstanding Civilian Service Award is the third highest honor within the public service awards scheme of the Department of the Army that can be awarded to a private citizen.
The United States Department of the Army offers a variety of awards, decorations and incentive programs to honor and recognize the contribution and efforts of its civilian workforce. Department of the Army civilian awards are governed by Army Regulation 672–20 Decorations, Awards, and Honors Incentive Awards.
The United States Department of State, like other agencies of the U.S. federal government, gives civilian decorations for outstanding service, sacrifice, or heroism. The criteria for the awards are set down in 3 FAM 4820 - Foreign Affairs Manual, 3 FAM - Personnel, section 3 FAM 4800 Department Awards Program.
The Department of the Air Force Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service is the highest award granted by the Secretary of the Air Force to civilian employees of the U.S. Department of the Air Force. It consists of a medal, lapel button, and citation certificate. With the exception of nominations for bravery, nominees must have established a demonstrable pattern of excellence and achievement which normally have been recognized by previous awards up to and including the Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
The Meritorious Civilian Service Award is commonly the second highest award and medal provided to civilian employees within agencies of the federal government of the United States. However, the various agencies' awards are not directly comparable. For example, the US Army Meritorious Civilian Service Award is equivalent to the US military Legion of Merit, while the US Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award is equivalent to the lower US military Meritorious Service Medal.
The Civilian Award for Humanitarian Service is both an honorary and public service award presented by the Department of the Army to individuals who have distinguished themselves by meritorious direct “hands-on” participation in an act or operation of a humanitarian nature directed toward an individual or groups of individuals.
The Superior Public Service Medal formerly the Secretary of the Army Public Service Award consists of a silver medal, lapel button, and citation certificate. The United States Secretary of the Army awards this decoration to those who provide exceptional service that makes a substantial contribution to the accomplishment of the Army's missions. These include any individual.
The Meritorious service medal for personnel of the Belgian Defence Forces and Foreign Armed Forces is a military decoration of Belgium. It was established on 23 February 2005 as a more rewarding successor of an earlier Medal of Military Merit and is awarded to members of the Belgian Armed Forces and civilians working for the Belgian Defence who show an exemplary meritorious behaviour in the completion of their duties or who have accomplished an exemplary meritorious act.
The Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award is the highest honorary award the Secretary of the Navy can confer on a Department of the Navy civilian employee.
The Navy Superior Civilian Service Award is the highest honorary award the Chief of Naval Operations or the Commandant of the Marine Corps may bestow on a civilian employee in the Department of the Navy and the highest award granted at the major claimant level. This is the second highest honorary award under the Department of the Navy Civilian Awards program.
The Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service is the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s (OSD) highest level career medaled award.
The Meritorious Civilian Service Award is the third highest award granted by U.S. Army Commanders. It consists of a medal, lapel button, and citation certificate. Nominees must have established a pattern of excellence, normally demonstrated by the receipt of lower level awards. The award is comparable to the military Meritorious Service Medal. On 13 April 1987, the Army Chief of Staff approved this award as the Superior Civilian Service. In November 2014, the Department of the Army Civilian Service Medals were renamed by the Secretary of the Army to align award names closer to their military equivalents. At that time the award was renamed the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal and the design of the medal was modified to reflect that change.
The Department of the Army Distinguished Civilian Service Award formerly the Department of the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service is the highest award that may be bestowed by or on behalf of the Secretary of the Army to Army civilian employees. The medal was approved by the War Department 29 December 1945. This award consists of a gold medal, lapel button and certificate. A ribbon bar and miniature medal is also available for private purchase.
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.
The Navy Meritorious Public Service Award is the third highest award that the United States Department of the Navy can present to private civilians not employed by the department. Like the other Navy Public Service Awards, it is generally awarded to business and civic leaders, scientists and other civilians who have made outstanding voluntary contributions to the mission and best interests of the Department of the Navy. It recognizes significant contributions with substantial impact upon a specific activity or geographical location. This award may be bestowed upon civilians by all Echelon I and II commanders, or above; and, is in rare cases signed and approved by the Secretary of the Navy.
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