About Sammies For 25 years, the Service to America Medals® have been the premier accolade for career federal employees whose work makes our nation safer, stronger, healthier and more prosperous. More than 2 million public servants who go to work every day, in cities and towns across America, to serve their country and their communities. You probably know about the accomplishments: lifesaving medical treatments; reliable weather forecasting; space exploration that expands our horizons; safe food and water; efforts to curb climate change and protect our environment; criminals and bad actors brought to justice. But you probably don’t know the people behind these achievements, or that they originate with dedicated career employees in the federal government. The Sammies aim to change that. Since 2001, we at the nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service have told the stories of more than 800 extraordinary Sammies honorees. Their stories are not government stories—they are stories of service to the public. The kind of service to country that often goes unnoticed or unappreciated. Holding government accountable means showing where it falls short and pushing for change. But it also means celebrating the many ways those working in government are getting it right for all of us. We may disagree as Americans about the size of government, but we should all be united behind the idea that it exists to serve all of us. Sammies honorees are shining examples. Page header: Honorees at the 2024 Service to America Medals gala The 2024 Service to America Medals finalists The 2023 Service to America Medals finalists Former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie presents the 2019 Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Medal Partnership for Public Service founder Samuel J. Heyman and Ronnie F. Heyman Actor Michael Kelly and former White House Chief of Staff and current Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough, present at the 2016 Sammies 2019 Sammies Master of Ceremonies Andrea Mitchell, NBC News Sen. Rick Scott presents the 2019 Safety and Law Enforcement Medal 2023 Federal Employee of the Year, Laura K. Cooper, and United States Deputy Secretary of Defense, Kathleen Hicks 2012 Sammies Masters of Ceremonies, John Roberts, FOX News and Kyra Phillips, ABC News Former National Security Advisor Susan Rice presenting to 2015 National Security and International Affairs Medal recipient, Mia Beers 2012 National Security and International Affairs Medal Recipient, Charles Scoville, with Congressman Darrell Issa 2008 Sammies Master of Ceremonies, Rob Riggle 2023 Career Achievement Medalist, Melissa Emrey-Arras, and Comptroller General of the United States, Gene Dodaro 2007 Sammies Master of Ceremonies, Lester Holt First Lady Michelle Obama with 2014 Sammies winners (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson) Anderson Cooper at the 2004 Sammies The 2017 Service to America Medals Gala Former White House Chief of Staff, Andy Card, with 2002 Career Achievement Medal Recipient, Dr. Katharine Gebbie Former White House Chief of Staff, Josh Bolten, with Richard Greene, 2008 Federal Employee of the Year Raj Shah, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, with 2022 Spirit of Service Award Recipient Darren Walker Author Michael Lewis with 2018 Spirit of Service Award Recipient Jeff Bezos Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat with 2021 Spirit of Service Award Recipient Laurene Powell Jobs 2017 Sammies emcee, John Dickerson, Co-Anchor, CBS This Morning Partnership for Public Service President and CEO Max Stier kicks off the 2017 Sammies ceremony Partnership for Public Service Board Members Tom Bernstein (Chairman) and Joel Fleishman Former Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar presents the 2019 Science and Environment Medal
