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

The award consists of a silver medal set and a certificate signed by an assistant secretary, an official of equivalent rank or the Chief of Mission. Due to the location and dangerous nature of their work, the majority of the recipients have been Foreign Service Special Agents of the Diplomatic Security Service

Diplomatic Security Service

The U.S. Diplomatic Security Service is the federal law enforcement arm of the United States Department of State. The majority of its Special Agents are members of the Foreign Service and federal law enforcement agents at the same time, making them unique...

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The Award for Heroism is a replacement for the former Award for Valor. The basic difference between the two medals is that the Valor Award was issued in 10K gold whereas the Heroism Award is issued in sterling silver. The ribbon reflects this; the designs are almost identical, but the color scheme indicates the precious metal issued with the respective awards.

Criteria

The following criteria are applicable to granting an Award for Heroism:

• Sustained superior performance while under threat of physical attack or harassment; or
• An individual act of courage or exceptional performance at the risk of personal safety.

Nominating and Approval Procedures

Nominations for State and 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 Chief of Mission for final action.

Nominations initiated in Washington are submitted to the appropriate area awards committee for final action. For USAID, 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

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...

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Notable Recipients

• Lynne Tracy, Foreign Service Officer, former Consul General of the U.S. Consulate General in Peshawar
  Peshawar
  Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
  
  , Pakistan
  Pakistan
  Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
  
  , 2007–2009, for service in Pakistan
  Pakistan
  Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
  
   weathering numerous threats and a failed assassination attempt
• Tomas A. Perez, Diplomatic Courier, 2009, for saving lives and ensuring the integrity of diplomatic cargo during an airplane crash
• Stephen J. Nolan, Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Ambassador to Botswana
  Botswana
  Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
  
  
• Thomas Eckert, Special Agent, Diplomatic Security Service, Burma, 2009, for the rescue of an American family during a flood
• Bryan Bachman, Special Agent, Diplomatic Security Service, Iraq, 2008, for courageous efforts to protect the Basrah Regional Embassy Office from attack
• Daniel Wilhelm, Special Agent, Diplomatic Security Service, Iraq, 2008, for courageous efforts to protect the Basrah Regional Embassy Office from attack
• Michael Poehlitz, Special Agent, Diplomatic Security Service, Nicaragua, 2007, for saving an American citizen from a violent and angry mob
• Christopher Belmonti, Special Agent, Diplomatic Security Service, Haiti, 2004, for risking his life to save American citizens during an evacuation
• Raymond Kyliavas, Special Agent, Diplomatic Security Service, Haiti, 2004, for risking his life to save American citizens during an evacuation
• Alston Richardson, Special Agent, Diplomatic Security Service, Haiti, 2004, for risking his life to save American citizens during an evacuation

See also

• Awards of the United States Department of State
  Awards of the United States Department of State
  The United States Department of State, like other agencies of the U.S. federal government, gives civilian decorations for outstanding service, sacrifice, or heroism...
  
  
• Awards and decorations of the United States government
  Awards and decorations of the United States government
  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...
  
  
• United States Department of State
• U.S. Foreign Service