USAID Distinguished Honor Award

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USAID Distinguished Honor Award
USAID DHA.jpg
Awarded by United States Agency for International Development
Type Medal
Eligibility Foreign Service, Civil Service, US Military
Awarded for "Exceptionally outstanding service or achievements of marked national or international significance"
Status Currently awarded
Precedence
Next (higher) Thomas Jefferson Star for Foreign Service
Next (lower) USAID Superior Honor Award
USAID DHA ribbon.jpg
Ribbon

The Distinguished Honor Award is an award of the United States Agency for International Development. Similar versions of the same award exist for the former U.S. Information Agency, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and Department of State. It is presented to groups or individuals in recognition of exceptionally outstanding service or achievements of marked national or international significance. [1]

Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

The U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) was an independent agency of the United States government that existed from 1961 to 1999. Its mission was to strengthen United States national security by "formulating, advocating, negotiating, implementing and verifying effective arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament policies, strategies, and agreements."

Contents

The award consists of a gold medal set and a certificate signed by an assistant secretary, an official of equivalent rank or the Mission Director. Due to the demanding nature of the criteria, the award is not routinely issued. [2]

Criteria

The following criteria are applicable to granting a Distinguished Honor Award:

Nominating and Approval Procedures

Nominations for USAID employees are submitted on Form JF-66, Nomination for Award, through supervisory channels to the Joint Country Awards Committee for review and recommendation to the Mission Director for final action.

Nominations initiated in Washington are reviewed by the USAID bureau/office with final approval by the appropriate assistant administrator or office head.

Military Use

Upon authorization, members of the U.S. military may wear the medal and ribbon in the appropriate order of precedence as a U.S. non-military personal decoration.

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.

See also

Distinguished Honor Award

The Distinguished Honor Award is an award of the United States Department of State. Similar versions of the same award exist for the former U.S. Information Agency, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and USAID. It is presented to groups or individuals in recognition of exceptionally outstanding service or achievements of marked national or international significance.

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.

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Awards and decorations of the United States Army are those military awards including decorations which are issued to members of the United States Army under the authority of the Secretary of the Army. Together with military badges such awards provide an outward display of a service member's accomplishments.

Awards and decorations of the United States Air Force are military decorations which are issued by the Department of the Air Force to Air Force service members and members of other military branches serving under Air Force commands. Of all five branches of the United States Armed Forces, the United States Air Force currently maintains the highest number of active awards and decorations, including many without equivalent in any other service.

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.

Superior Honor Award

The Superior Honor Award is an award of the United States Department of State. Similar versions of the same award exist for the former U.S. Information Agency, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and USAID. It is presented to groups or individuals in recognition of a special act or service or sustained extraordinary performance covering a period of one year or longer.

Meritorious Honor Award

The Meritorious Honor Award is an award of the United States Department of State. Similar versions of the same award exist for the former U.S. Information Agency, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and USAID. It is presented to groups or individuals in recognition of a special act or service or sustained outstanding performance.

Department of the Air Force Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service

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.

Superior Public Service Medal

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.

Secretarys Award

The Secretary’s Award is an award of the United States Department of State. It is presented to employees of State, USAID and Marine guards assigned to diplomatic and consular facilities in recognition of sacrifice of health or life, in the performance of official duties. It is somewhat similar in function to the U.S. military’s Purple Heart medal, though it tends to only be issued for serious injuries that are directly related to official duties.

Secretarys Distinguished Service Award

The Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award is an award of the United States Department of State. It is presented at the discretion of the Secretary of State in recognition of exceptionally outstanding leadership, professional competence, and significant accomplishment over a sustained period of time in the field of foreign affairs. Such achievements must be of notable national or international significance and have made an important contribution to the advancement of U.S. national interests.

State Department Award for Valor

The Award for Valor is an obsolete award of the United States Department of State. It has since been replaced with the Award for Heroism. It was presented to employees of State, USAID and Marine guards assigned to diplomatic and consular facilities in recognition of acts of valor or outstanding performance under unusually difficult or dangerous circumstances, whether or not in connection with the performance of assigned duties.

USAID Meritorious Honor Award

The Meritorious Honor Award is an award of the United States Agency for International Development. Similar versions of the same award exist for the former U.S. Information Agency, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and Department of State. It is presented to groups or individuals in recognition of a special act or service or sustained outstanding performance.

USAID Superior Honor Award

The Superior Honor Award is an award of the United States Agency for International Development. Similar versions of the same award exist for the former U.S. Information Agency, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and Department of State. It is presented to groups or individuals in recognition of a special act or service or sustained extraordinary performance covering a period of one year or longer.

ACDA Superior Honor Award

The Superior Honor Award is an award of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, an independent agency charged with implementing and verifying arms control strategies which has since been merged into the Department of State. Similar versions of the same award exist for the United States Agency for International Development, the Department of State, and the former U.S. Information Agency. This award has been replaced with the State Department's Superior Honor Award. This award was presented to groups or individuals in recognition of a special act or service or sustained extraordinary performance covering a period of one year or longer.

ACDA Distinguished Honor Award

The Distinguished Honor Award is an award of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, an independent agency charged with implementing and verifying arms control strategies which has since been merged into the Department of State. Similar versions of the same award exist for the United States Agency for International Development, the Department of State, and the former U.S. Information Agency. This award has been replaced with the State Department's Distinguished Honor Award. This award was presented to groups or individuals in recognition of exceptionally outstanding service or achievements of marked national or international significance.

USIA Superior Honor Award

The Superior Honor Award is an award of the United States Information Agency, an independent agency charged with public diplomacy which has since been merged into the Department of State. Similar versions of the same award exist for the United States Agency for International Development, the Department of State, and the former Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. This award has been replaced with the State Department's Superior Honor Award. This award was presented to groups or individuals in recognition of a special act or service or sustained extraordinary performance covering a period of one year or longer.

USIA Distinguished Honor Award

The Distinguished Honor Award is an award of the United States Information Agency, an independent agency charged with public diplomacy which has since been merged into the Department of State. Similar versions of the same award exist for the United States Agency for International Development, the Department of State, and the former Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. This award has been replaced with the State Department's Distinguished Honor Award. This award was presented to groups or individuals in recognition of exceptionally outstanding service or achievements of marked national or international significance.

The Department of Defense Inspector General Distinguished Service Award is the highest civilian award given by the United States Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General. This award and accompanying Distinguished Service Medal is the DOD OIG's highest award granted to those who distinguished themselves by exceptional service or contributions of the broadest scope to the OIG or DoD. The achievements or service must be truly exceptional when measured against the position requirements of the individual and should far exceed the contributions and service of others with comparable responsibilities.

References

  1. "3 FAM 4826 Distinguished Honor Award". US Department of State. 31 January 2003. Retrieved 12 Jan 2016.
  2. Christopher W. Runckel journal, 1997, http://www.business-in-asia.com/vietnam_trip.html