Wanted: America’s Finest Public Servants for Service to America Medals—the “Oscars” of Government Service

January 5, 2016

WASHINGTON— The Partnership for Public Service today announced that nominations for the 2016 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals (Sammies)—the most prestigious awards honoring our nation’s public servants – are being accepted through Friday, January 15. Nominations may be submitted at servicetoamericamedals.org by anyone familiar with the nominee’s work and accomplishments.

Nine awards, including the coveted Federal Employee of the Year, will be presented to outstanding federal employees and teams. Winners will be selected based on three main criteria: impact of their work on meeting the needs of the nation, on-the-job innovation and commitment to public service.

Previous Service to America Medals went to federal workers whose achievements include developing life-saving treatments for millions of cancer patients to leading the U.S. response to the 2014 Ebola crisis in West Africa and helping to turn the tide of the disease. Medal categories include Call to Service, Career Achievement, Homeland Security and Law Enforcement, Science and Environment, and other categories related to specific government fields. All career civilian federal employees are eligible.

The 2016 Service to America Medal recipients will be honored in Washington, D.C. this fall. Thirty finalists will be recognized on Capitol Hill during Public Service Recognition Week in the spring. All of the 2016 finalists will also be eligible to win the People’s Choice Award, which allows the public to vote for the federal employee they think has made the most admirable contribution to the American people.

The Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals program is named in memory of business leader and visionary philanthropist Samuel J. Heyman who founded the Partnership for Public Service to revitalize our federal government and to inspire a new generation to serve.