DCSSAR Patriotic Service Award Series

• Est. 2005 (completed 2006)

  The District of Columbia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution established its Patriotic Service Award Series in 2006 to give special recognition to people who have performed differing degrees of service to the DCSSAR, NSSAR, the District of Columbia (including its metropolitan area), or the United States.  The awards are described in the DCSSAR By-Laws and consists of Medals, Crystals, and/or certificates.

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              The Patriotic Service Medal (PSM) is the highest component of the series and would carry the adjective “Outstanding”.  Struck in full-size and miniature and awarded as a pair, the full-size version is presented suitably engraved with the recipient’s name.  To be eligible for the PSM, individuals will ordinarily have performed service or meritorious acts that clearly demonstrate an unusually high level of contribution to the objectives of the Society, which may consist of, but not restricted to:
• Extended years of continuous service and support
• Unusual and/or highly-committed acts or service
• Holding important office(s) for several years
• Leading committee work of the Society
• Actively serving in the community
• Acts or service aiding the success of the society

Qualifying service may be meritorious service or a meritorious act beyond that usually needed for award of the Meritorious Service Medal, but less than that required for award of the Patriot Medal.  Acts of valor are more appropriately recognized with the NSSAR Medal of Heroism.  There is no requirement for the awardee to be a member of the DCSSAR or of the NSSAR.  All citizens of the United States may be considered, as well as foreign nationals who render qualifying meritorious service or acts.

The recipient may have received one or more of the other DCSSAR Patriotic Service Awards, but that is not a prerequisite.  The qualifying service or meritorious act will usually be in furtherance of the goals of the DCSSAR, the Government of the United States, or of the District of Columbia.  Outstanding services by a DCSSAR member or a friend of the DCSSAR to the national organization may be the basis of award.

The award may be made to an individual multiple times.  Each additional award will be represented by a bronze cluster to be attached to the ribbon. Four additional awards may, at the option of the recipient, be represented by a single silver cluster.  Each PSM award will be accompanied by a corresponding certificate indicating the medal, the cluster or the number of the cluster.

The Patriotic Service Crystal shall be awarded more often and will have less strenuous requirements based on similar criteria as stated above, including recognition of a highly regarded special event speaker, an unusual activity by a supporting cast member over and above the normal scheduled work load of the Society, or an act of great kindness or gift to our Society and would carry the adjective, “Superior.”  Each Crystal award will be accompanied by a corresponding certificate.

The Patriotic Service Certificate will be the most-frequently awarded of the series and would carry the adjective, “Meritorious.”  Recipients will be selected using far less stringent requirements but still based on the premises as stated for the PSM (for example, instead of “extended years of service” the standard will be “exemplary service”).