Awards of the United States Department of State

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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 Foreign Affairs Manual described the purpose of Department of State honor awards as to "bestow recognition on an individual or group who has made a significant contribution to the agency's mission" and states that "The honor awards vary in scope and magnitude. The impact of the act or deed which precipitates the nomination must be carefully examined, and consideration given to whether the act to be recognized benefits the post or bureau, the area, the agency, or the Federal Government as a whole."

Contents 1 Secretary's Distinguished Service Award 2 Secretary's Award 3 Award for Heroism 4 Thomas Jefferson Star for Foreign Service

[edit] Secretary's Distinguished Service Award

The Secretary's Distinguished Service Award is presented at the discretion of the Secretary of State.

a. The Secretary's Distinguished Service Award is presented at the discretion of the Secretary in recognition of exceptionally outstanding leadership, professional competence, and significant accomplishment over a sustained period of time in the field of foreign affairs. Such achievementsmust be of notable national or international significance and have made an important contribution to the advancement of U.S. national interests.
b. The award is personally authorized by the Secretary of State provided that one of the criteria eligibility in 3 FAM 4813.2 is met. It may be presented to members of the foreign affairs communities.
c. The award consists of a gold medal set and a certificate signed by the Secretary. Nominations for the Secretary's Distinguished Service Award are normally initiated by the Secretary of State. However, officials at assistant secretary or higher level who wish to recommend an individual for this award may do so by submitting a memorandum of justification, cleared by the Director General, to the Executive Secretary of the Department.

[edit] Secretary's Award

The Secretary's Award 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."

3 FAM 4823.1 Description
(TL:PER-436; 01-16-2002)
(Uniform State and USAID)
(Foreign Service, Civil Service, and Foreign Service National Employees)
a. The Secretary's Award is presented to employees of State, USAID, and Marine guards assigned to diplomatic and consular facilities inrecognition of sacrifice of health or life, in the performance of official duties.
b. The award consists of a medal set and a certificate signed by the Secretary.
3 FAM 4823.2 Nominating and Approval Procedures
(TL:PER-436; 01-16-2002)
(Uniform State and USAID)
(Foreign Service, Civil Service, and Foreign Service National Employees)
a. Nominations for the Secretary's Award are submitted on Form JF-66, Nomination for Award, through supervisory channels to the Joint Country Awards Committee for review and recommendation to the chief ofmission. Approved nominations will be forwarded through the appropriate area awards committee to the Department Awards Committee for final action.
b. Nominations initiated in Washington are submitted through the appropriate area awards committee to the Department Awards Committee for final action.

[edit] Award for Heroism

The Award for Heroism is given "recognition of acts of courage or outstanding performance under unusually difficult or dangerous circumstances, whether or not in connection with the performance of assigned duties."

3 FAM 4824.1 Description
(TL:PER-436; 01-16-2002)
(Uniform State and USAID)
(Foreign Service, Civil Service, and Foreign Service National Employees)
a. The award for Heroism is presented to employees of State,USAID, and Marine guards assigned to diplomatic and consular facilities inrecognition of acts of courage or outstanding performance under unusually difficult or dangerous circumstances, whether or not in connection with the performance of assigned duties. It may be granted for:
(1) Sustained superior performance while under threat of physical attack or harassment; or
(2) An individual act of courage or exceptional performance at the risk of personal safety.
b. The award consists of a medal set and a certificate signed by the Secretary.
3 FAM 4824.2 Nominating and Approval Procedures
(TL:PER-436; 01-16-2002)
(Uniform State and USAID)
(Foreign Service, Civil Service, and Foreign Service National Employees)
a. Nominations for the Award for Heroism are submitted on Form JF-66, Nomination for Award, through supervisory channels to the Joint Country Awards Committee for review and recommendation to the chief ofmission. Approved nominations will be forwarded through the appropriatearea awards committee to the Department Awards Committee for final action.
b. Nominations initiated in Washington are submitted through the appropriate area awards committee to the Department Awards Committee for final action.

[edit] Thomas Jefferson Star for Foreign Service

The Thomas Jefferson Star for Foreign Service "recognizes those individuals who, while traveling or serving abroad on official business, are killed or incur a serious illness or injury that results in death, permanent incapacity or disability."

3 FAM 4825.1 Description
(TL:PER-463; 01-31-2003)
(Uniform State and USAID)
(Foreign Service, Civil Service, and Foreign Service National Employees)
a. The Thomas Jefferson Star for Foreign Service recognizes those individuals who, while traveling or serving abroad on official business, are killed or incur a serious illness or injury that results in death, permanent incapacity or disability.
b. The award consists of a Foreign Service Star Medal and a certificate signed by the President and the Secretary.
c. Posthumous awards shall be issued to the recipient employee's next of kin.
3 FAM 4825.2 Eligibility
(TL:PER-436; 01-16-2002)
(Uniform State and USAID)
(Foreign Service, Civil Service, and Foreign Service National Employees)
Any civilian employee of any agency, including Foreign Service Nationals (appointed under Section 303 of the Foreign Service Act), non-family member U.S. citizen employees hired at post (appointed underSection 303 and appointed under Section 311 (a) of the Foreign Service Act), and U.S. citizens and foreign nationals serving under a Personal Services Contract or Personal Services Agreement (if eligibility for the award is authorized in their contracts), are eligible for the Foreign Service Star Award as long as the employee is:
(1) Under the administrative direction of State or USAID;
(2) Employed at, or assigned permanently or temporarily to an official mission abroad, or while traveling abroad on official business; and
(3) Killed or incurs a serious illness or injury which requires hospitalization or similar treatment and which results in incapacity or disability that prevents the employee from performing his or her official duties or adversely affects his or her ability to obtain medical clearance, while the employee:
(a) Is performing official duties;
(b) Is located on the premises of a U.S. mission abroad; or alternatively,
(c) By reason of the individual's status as U.S. Government employee.
3 FAM 4825.3 Criteria
(TL:PER-436; 01-16-2002)
(Uniform State and USAID)
(Foreign Service, Civil Service, and Foreign Service National Employees)
a. Selection of award recipients will be based on:
(1) The nexus between the death, illness or injury and the act of serving abroad in an official capacity. The death, illness or injury must be linked to the official duties of the employee. This may be by reason of location at the U.S. mission, by reason of the employee’s status as a U.S. Government of-ficial, or by reason of the fact that the employee is performing, or en-route to perform official duties; and
(2) The seriousness of the illness or injury. An illness or injury is "serious" if it requires hospitalization or similar treatment and results in incapacity or disability that prevents the employee from performing his other official duties or adversely affects his or her ability to obtain medical clearance.
b. Examples of employees meeting the selection criteria include, but are not limited to:
(1) The United States as the target of hostile action:
a. Mission as target while performing official duty, hostile fire kills or wounds a U.S. civilian employee who is accompanying U.S. peacekeepers abroad;
b. Employee as target, but not while on official duty, a commercial airliner flying abroad is hijacked and an employee, by reason of his or her status as a U.S. Government official, is subjected to mistreatment resulting in death, injury or serious illness.
(2) Accidents occurring in a hostile environment or crisis situation:
(a) Employee is killed or wounded by "friendly" fire launched to counter or respond to hostile action.
(b) Employee is killed or wounded in an automobile or airplane accident caused by a hostile action or crisis situation.
(c) Employee is killed or wounded by a land mine, trap, bomb or chemical/biological agent, even if not targeted at the employee or the United States.
(3) Natural disasters linked to service:
(a) Employee is killed or wounded while away from the mission, but while performing official duties, e.g., an earthquake abroad causes a building to collapse, killing several employees who are negotiating an arms control treaty; or
(b) Employee is killed or injured at the mission, e.g., a flood strikes a U.S. Embassy compound, killing and injuring dozens of employees.
(4) Nothing in this subsection (3 FAM 4825.3) shall limit the discretion of the Secretary to recommend the Foreign Service Star Award for an otherwise eligible (see 3 FAM 4825.2) and deserving employee.
FAM 4825.4 Nominating and Approval Procedures
(TL:PER-463; 01-31-2003)
(Uniform State and USAID)
(Foreign Service, Civil Service, and Foreign Service National Employees)
Nominations for the Thomas Jefferson Star for Foreign Service must beinitiated by the chief of mission or by an assistant secretary, cleared by the Medical Director, as appropriate, and then submitted to the Department Awards Committee for review and recommendation to the Secretary. The Secretary shall make final recommendations to the President.
3 FAM 4825.5 Effective Date
(TL:PER-463; 01-31-2003)
(Uniform State and USAID)
(Foreign Service, Civil Service, and Foreign Service National Employees)
a. The effective date for the Thomas Jefferson Star for Foreign Service shall be August 7, 1998.
b. An employee or surviving next of kin may petition the Department Awards Committee to consider individuals who are eligible and deserving of the Thomas Jefferson Star for Foreign Service notwithstanding the fact that the illness, injury or death occurred prior to the effective date.