Updated: 18 February, 2008

United States

FBI Medals

• Deputy Director Bruce Gebhardt will be Retiring Bruce J. Gebhardt, the FBI's number two official, will retire after a 30-year career. Gebhardt became a special agent in 1974 and has been deputy director for the past two years. During his career Gebhardt served in Field Offices in Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Newark, N.J. and Phoenix ad well as at headquarters in Washington. He received the FBI Medal of Valor for action during an airplane hijacking in 1976 in Denver, Colorado. fbi.gov 18 Aug 04

• Columbus Police Officer Receives High Honors From FBI In recognition of his courage and bravery Lt. Mark Starling received an FBI Star Medal.  It's one of the highest honors and rarely given to local law enforcement. Starling is still emotional about what happened in May of 2005. At the FBI's request, he confronted two bank robbers at the Peachtree Mall.  He was shot three times, one bullet lodged in his jaw...the others near critical arteries.  wtvn.com 28 Nov 06

• FBI Awards Medal to Italian Police Chief Director Robert S. Mueller presented Giovanni De Gennaro with the FBI's Medal of Meritorious Achievement, an award that recognizes courageous and selfless acts that protect and save the lives of others. De Gennaro's work on the front lines against Italian organized crime put him in constant peril—and atop the Sicilian Mafia's hit list. Despite the dangers, he played a central role in a number of major cases in the mid-'80s with the FBI that significantly hobbled Italian organized crime in the U.S. Friday's presentation marked the first time the medal has been awarded to one of the FBI's international partners. De Gennaro played a key role in investigations that led to prosecutions of some 800 people in the U.S. and Italy, most notably the "Pizza Connection" and "Iron Tower" investigations into international heroin smuggling. The operations significantly reduced Italian influence in the drug trade in the U.S. fbi.gov 6 Dec 06

• Supervisory Special Agent Gregory J. Rahoi Awarded FBI Medal Of Valor and Memorial Star - Director Robert S. Mueller, III, awarded the FBI Medal of Valor posthumously to Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Gregory J. Rahoi. SSA Rahoi died on December 6, 2006, after being shot and fatally wounded in a Hostage Rescue Team training exercise. Director Mueller also presented the FBI Memorial Star medal to SSA Rahoi’s parents and fiancé. Director Mueller said, “We present you with the Medal of Valor, ‘In recognition of brave and heroic acts occurring in the line of duty while deployed to Iraq as a member of the Hostage Rescue Team, July 7, 2006 through October 10, 2006. These actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of the FBI.’ We also present you with the Memorial Star. The inscription reads: ‘In honor of Supervisory Special Agent Gregory J. Rahoi who made the ultimate sacrifice on December 6, 2006, during a Hostage Rescue Team training exercise. This special recognition is presented in Supervisory Special Agent Rahoi's memory and in tribute to his performance which was in the highest traditions of the FBI.’” The Medal of Valor and the Memorial Star are two of the FBI’s highest honors. The FBI Medal of Valor is presented in recognition of an exceptional act of heroism or voluntary risk of personal safety and life, and this act must have occurred in the direct line of duty or within the scope of FBI employment and in the face of criminal adversaries. The FBI Memorial Star is presented to a surviving relative where death has occurred in the line of duty. fbi.gov 11 Dec 06

• Two El Paso FBI Agents to be Awarded FBI Star Medal Special Agent in Charge Ralph Diaz will award the FBI Star Medal to El Paso Special Agents Samantha Mikeska and Sergio Barrio. This medal is awarded to agents who have sustained serious injury in the direct line of duty as a result of physical confrontation with criminal adversaries. Agents Mikeska and Barrio were involved in the September 12, 2002 Union Pacific train robberies investigation in Sunland Park, New Mexico. During the conduct of an arrest, they were violently assaulted by a group of suspects. Both sustained serious injury, hospitalization and significant medical treatment. They subsequently returned to duty and continue to serve the community. elpaso.fbi.gov 4 Oct 04

• Hoover receives National Security Medal from President Eisenhower Photograph of J Edgar Hoover receiving the National Security Medal from President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1955. fbi.gov

• FBI Freedom of Information Website Here you will find one-stop shopping to request information that may be found in the FBI’s Central Records System. Information about an organization, business, investigation, historical event, or incident. Information about a third party, about a deceased person, or ifnormatin about yourself.

• FBI Website

NASA Medals

• NASA Agency Honor Awards nasa.gov

• Awards and decorations of NASA List of Recipients From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

• Staples to be honored by NASA Williams Staples, president of the University of Houston – Clear Lake will be awarded the NASA Public Service Medal. Each year, the space agency selects individuals and groups, both government and non-government, who have made substantial contributions to NASA’s mission. Galveston County Daily News, TX 2 Aug 03 Pitt Engineering Professor Awarded NASA Public Service Medal Peyman Givi, William Kepler Whiteford Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering, has been awarded the NASA Public Service Medal, which recognizes exceptional contributions to NASA's mission. Givi received the award “for the development of advanced modeling techniques for designing high-speed and hypersonic propulsion systems for aerospace vehicles.”  umc.pitt.edu 30 Aug 05

• Houck celebrates NASA medal Jim Houck, the Cornell University Kenneth A. Wallace Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University and developer and principal investigator for the Spitzer Space Telescope's infrared spectrograph, celebrated a top NASA award with colleagues in the Space Sciences Building on Wednesday, June 29, on the Cornell campus. Houck received NASA's Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal. spaceref.com 2 Jul 05 NASA Honors Distinguished Astronomer With Medal NASA Administrator Michael Griffin awarded the agency's Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal posthumously to acclaimed American astronomer and astrophysicist John Bahcall. His lifetime of achievement included work on development of the Hubble Space Telescope. Griffin presented the medal to Bahcall's widow, Neta Bahcall. In addition to work on the Hubble, Bahcall was honored for extraordinary service to NASA's space astronomy program and leadership of the National Research Council's Decadal Survey. The Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal recognizes significant scientific contributions toward achieving NASA's missions of exploration and discovery. prnewsire.com 10 Jan 06

• NASA Exceptional Service Medal James S. Martin Jr., NASA's former manager of the Viking missions to Mars, died April 14, 2002. Martin led a 750-member team of scientists, technicians and engineers during the Viking I and II missions in 1975. Awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1967. (Apr 02)

• Stennis workers awarded NASA medals Employees at NASA's Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Miss., recently earned recognition from NASA. Mary Kennedy received NASA's Exceptional Administrative Achievement Medal for exceptional contributions to the mission of NASA. She is an accounting technician in the office of the chief financial officer, business management directorate. She was given the award for her successful efforts to implement NASA's Web-based Time and Attendance Distribution System at Stennis. Jenette Gordon received NASA's prestigious Exceptional Achievement Medal. She is an environmental engineer in the center operations directorate. She was given the award for her creative approaches and expert knowledge of hazardous waste and permitting. When Stennis identified nine sites within the Stennis Fee Area that needed environmental cleanup, Gordon helped the directorate wade through procedures and information to achieve the complex project on time. Times Picayune, LA 21 Aug 03

• NASA Deputy Administrator Frederick Gregory Resigns NASA's Frederick D. Gregory, who spent 31 years at the agency as a research test pilot, astronaut and senior leader, announced his resignation as deputy administrator. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Superior Service Medal, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 16 Air Medals, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal; NASA, three Space Flight Medals, two Outstanding Leadership Medals and Distinguished Service Medal. His other awards include the National Intelligence Medal. prnewswire.com 9 Sep 05

• NASA Honoring Michoud Employees for Heroic Hurricane Work NASA is honoring 38 men and women who risked their lives during Hurricane Katrina to protect the agency's Michoud Assembly Facility, where space shuttle external fuel tanks are manufactured east of New Orleans. While thousands evacuated the area before Katrina made landfall, this "ride-out" crew stayed behind. To recognize that dedication, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin will present the workers with the Exceptional Bravery Medal. The medal is awarded for demonstrating exemplary handling of an emergency that prevents loss of life and government property, while disregarding personal safety. The team ensured Michoud sustained only minor damage from high winds and massive flooding that devastated the surrounding community. As a result of their heroic efforts, delay in external tank processing was kept to a minimum. The crew's work was essential not only to NASA's Space Shuttle Program, but also to the future of human space flight. Michoud's unique manufacturing facilities figure prominently in America's Vision for Space Exploration, since derivatives of the external tank are part of the design for the next generation spacecraft. nasa.gov 29 Dec 05

• 2007 NASA Honor Awards Ceremony at JSC The following is a list of this year's honorees, some of whom may have received their awards at earlier ceremonies:

  NASA Distinguished Service Medal

• Robert D. Cabana
• Marsha S. Ivins
• Brent W. Jett, Jr.
• Steven W. Lindsey
• Joseph R. Tanner
• Jeffrey N. Williams

NASA Space Flight Medal

• Daniel C. Burbank
• Christopher J. Ferguson
• Michael E. Fossum
• Brent W. Jett, Jr.
• Mark E. Kelly
• Steven W. Lindsey
• Steven G. MacLean
• Lisa M. Nowak
• Piers J. Sellers
• Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper
• Joseph R. Tanner
• V. Pavel Vinogradov
• Jeffrey N. Williams
• Stephanie D. Wilson    spaceref.com 30 May 07

• Bulen recieves NASA Achievement Medal Dianne G. Bulen, a NASA employee at Stennis Space Center (SSC) near Bay St. Louis, recently received NASA's prestigious Exceptional Achievement Medal. An administrative officer in the Propulsion Test Directorate (PTD) at SSC. She was given the award for her ability to assess and lighten the administrative burden on PTD managers. Her knowledge of the directorate, disciplined approach and problem-solving abilities have gained Bulen the reputation of a "go-to contact" for PTD personnel actions such as hiring, promotion and training. The Daily News Online 8 Oct 03

• NASA Website

NOAA Medals

• NOAA Medals  (Criteria for Award)

• NOAA staff wins US medal The U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded its Bronze Medal to the Billings staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service. The Billings unit was honored for outstanding work in providing life-saving warnings and enhanced public service during the prolonged severe weather episode of the summer of 2001. (Nov 02)

• Commerce Secretary Awards Medal to NOAA Weather Forecast Team for Work During Last Winter's Ohio Valley Snow and Floods A silver medal -- one of the highest honors granted by the U.S. Department of Commerce -- was awarded to a team from several NOAA National Weather Service offices for their coordinated life- saving services during the Ohio Valley snow and flood events of December 2004 and January 2005. The Silver Medal honors "exceptional performance characterized by noteworthy or superlative contributions that have a direct and lasting impact within the Department. biz.yahoo.com 13 Dec 05

• Medal for UNH scientist The U.S. Department of Commerce has honored a research meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-University of New Hampshire Joint Hydrographic Center for giving the public access to real-time coastal data and forecasts over the Internet. Dr. John G.W. Kelley, of Hampstead, received a NOAA Bronze Medal. Kelley conceived of and led the development of nowCOAST, a Web mapping portal using the latest in Geographic Information Systems Internet technology. seacoastonline.com 18 Jan 05

• NOAA Website

  National Guard Medals

• United States Awards and Decorations of the National Guard The ultimate list

• National Guard Ribbons (The most comprehensive list - old & new) (Deepwell)

• National Guard Ribbons (Covers most states) (armyawards.com)

• Ruppersberger Receives Medal For 'Operation Hero Miles' A Maryland congressman who created a special program to bring thousands of troops serving in Iraq home for rest and relaxation received a special award. Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-District 2, who created Operation Hero Miles, was awarded the National Guard Association Charles Dick Medal of Merit Award. thewbalchannel.com 26 Oct 04

Alabama

• Alabama State Awards (4th Alabama)

• Ribbons of the State of Alabama (Megan C. Robertson)

• Medal minted for newest war veterans Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as those who have been deployed in the United States in support of the war on terrorism, are eligible to receive a new medal minted especially for their service, a military spokesman said. The Liberty Bell Medal will be presented to Alabama veterans. al.com 17 May 07

•  Flowers gets Army Achievement Medal Alabama Army National Guard Captain Gregory L. Flowers, above right, was decorated with the Army Achievement Medal for exceptionally meritorious service from August 1, 1999 through December 31, 2002 while serving as the Aide-de-Camp for the Commanding General, 62nd Troop. (Feb 03)

• Col. Sailors awarded Army Meritorious Service Medal Alabama Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Bobby L. Sailors was decorated with the Army Meritorious Service Medal for "distinguished meritorious service, excellent performance, devotion to duty, and command leadership while serving as Battalion Commander of the 1203rd Engineer Battalion (Topographical) during the period March 2001 through January 2003". (Feb 03)
• You Can Design Spirit of Alabama Medal - Since the spirit of Alabama can only shine through Alabamians, Governor Riley is asking for your help designing the Spirit of Alabama Medal. In his Inauguration speech, the Governor announced the medal will be presented to extraordinary Alabamians every year. WSFA, AL - (Feb 03)
  • Governor seeks designs for Spirit of Alabama Medal - Montgomery Independent
  • Governor seeks designs for Spirit of Alabama Medal - Tuscaloosa News
  • Governor Appeals To The Public For Help On New Award - WSFA

• Governor Awards Medal to Two Soldiers for Hurricane Work Two members of the Alabama National Guard were awarded the Special Service Medal of Alabama for their leadership in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan. Governor Bob Riley pinned medals on Colonel Jeffrey Kinard of the 226th Area Support Group in Mobile and Staff Sergeant James Dunkle of the 167th Infantry Battalion, based in Valley. Riley said the soldiers were among more than 1700 Army and Air Guard personnel who helped hundreds of residents after Ivan landed on Alabama's Gulf coast in mid-September. The Special Service Medal of Alabama is awarded to individuals whose actions deserve praise. waff.com 10 Nov 04 

• Iowa Governor Honors Heroes The governor handed out Medals of Valor to emergency workers and citizens from across the state. Among them, a Glenwood police officer Gary Chambers, who was involved in a shooting. More (Dec 02)

• State Legislator writes book on medal-winning soldiers