Medal Categories
The Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals are awarded in eight categories:
- Federal Employee of the Year
- Call to Service
- Career Achievement
- Citizen Services
- Homeland Security and Law Enforcement
- Management Excellence
- National Security and International Affairs
- Science and Environment
General eligibility requirements apply to all medal categories; special eligibility criteria apply to select categories as listed below.
Federal Employee of the Year Medal
This award recognizes a federal employee whose professional contributions exemplify the highest attributes of public service. This medal is accompanied by a $10,000 monetary award.
Selection Criteria: Nominations are not accepted directly for the Federal Employee of the Year medal. The nominees of all other medal categories are considered eligible, and the winner is chosen by the Selection Committee from among the finalists announced each summer.
Call to Service Medal
This medal recognizes a federal employee whose professional achievements reflect the important contributions that a new generation brings to public service. This medal is accompanied by a $5,000 monetary award.
Selection Criteria: Within the past three years, the nominee must have shown a commitment to public service and demonstrated a significant accomplishment within his or her particular government field that was innovative and high impact, and met a critical need for the nation.
Special Eligibility Criteria:
- Nominee must have entered the federal civil service within the last five years
- Nominee must be 35 years old or younger
Career Achievement Medal
This medal recognizes a federal employee for significant accomplishments throughout a lifetime of achievement in public service. This medal is accompanied by a $10,000 monetary award.
Selection Criteria: Throughout his or her career, the nominee must have shown a continued commitment to public service and demonstrated several significant accomplishments within his or her particular government field that were innovative and high impact, and met a critical need for the nation.
Special Eligibility Criteria:
- Nominee must have at least 20 years of career federal civil service
Citizen Services Medal
This medal recognizes a federal employee for a significant contribution to the nation in activities that serve the general public and provide for the common good. This medal is accompanied by a $3,000 monetary award.
Selection Criteria: Within the past three years, the nominee must have demonstrated a significant accomplishment within his or her particular government field that was innovative and high impact, and met a critical need for the nation.
Related Activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Economic development and assistance
- Education
- Labor
- Housing
- Health care
- Transportation
- Other government services
Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Medal
This medal recognizes a federal employee for a significant contribution to the nation in activities related to homeland security and law enforcement. This medal is accompanied by a $3,000 monetary award.
Selection Criteria: Within the past three years, the nominee must have demonstrated a significant accomplishment within his or her particular government field that was innovative and high impact, and met a critical need for the nation.
Related Activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Border enforcement
- Transportation security
- Emergency preparedness and response
- Intelligence
- Law enforcement
- Civil rights
- Criminal justice
- Counterterrorism
- Fraud detection and prevention
Management Excellence Medal
This medal recognizes a federal employee for demonstrating superior leadership and management excellence through a significant contribution to the nation that exemplifies efficient, effective and results-oriented government. This medal is accompanied by a $3,000 monetary award.
Selection Criteria: Within the past three years, the nominee must have demonstrated exemplary leadership and management excellence to advance a significant accomplishment within his or her particular government field that was innovative and high impact, and met a critical need for the nation.
Related Activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Acquisition and resource management
- Contract management
- Cross-agency collaboration
- Facilities and infrastructure management
- Financial management
- Government accountability
- Hiring and human capital management
- Public-private partnerships
National Security and International Affairs Medal
This medal recognizes a federal employee for a significant contribution to the nation in activities related to national security and international affairs. This medal is accompanied by a $3,000 monetary award.
Selection Criteria: Within the past three years, the nominee must have demonstrated a significant accomplishment within his or her particular government field that was innovative and high impact, and met a critical need for the nation.
Related Activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Defense
- Diplomacy
- Foreign assistance
- Intelligence
- Military affairs
- Trade
Science and Environment Medal
This medal recognizes a federal employee for a significant contribution to the nation in activities related to science and environment. This medal is accompanied by a $3,000 monetary award.
Selection Criteria: Within the past three years, the nominee must have demonstrated a significant accomplishment within his or her particular government field that was innovative and high impact, and met a critical need for the nation.
Related Activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Aerospace engineering
- Astronomy
- Biomedicine
- Economics
- Energy
- Engineering
- Information technology
- Meteorology
- Physics
- Resource conservation
The Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals are presented annually by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service to celebrate excellence in our federal civil service.
