Call for nominations: Citizen Service Before Self Honors

WILMINGTON, Del. – Delaware’s Congressional Delegation of U.S. Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons and Congressman John Carney, along with the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, announced today that they are accepting nominations for the Citizen Service Before Self Honors, which recognizes and honors those ordinary Americans who become extraordinary through their indomitable courage and selflessness.   

Citizen Service Before Self Honors are unique, because they are presented to unsung heroes by our nation’s most honored heroes — the fewer than 85 living recipients of our nation’s highest award for valor — the Medal of Honor. The recipients comprise the Congressionally chartered Medal of Honor Society, which is one of the most exclusive societies. 

Citizen Service Before Self Honorees represent the values of courage, sacrifice and selfless service. The Congressional Delegation and Medal of Honor recipients encourage individuals to nominate any United States civilian who has clearly demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice for others whether through a single act of extraordinary heroism at risk to one’s life or through a prolonged series of selfless acts. The nominee’s actions must epitomize the concept of “service before self” and must be performed “above and beyond” one’s professional area of responsibility or conduct.

Citizens may submit an eligible nominee by completing the nomination form online via the Citizen Service Before Self Honors website, www.CitizenServiceBeforeSelfHonors.org.  The nomination period ends on Friday, December 28, 2012.  

A panel, to include Medal of Honor recipient representation, will consider all nominations and select national finalists. Finalists will be announced on Monday, March 11, 2013.  From among those finalists, a second panel of Medal of Honor recipients will select three individuals to receive Citizen Service Before Self Honors. The recipients will be honored at a ceremony on Monday, March 25, 2013, in conjunction with National Medal of Honor Day. The ceremony will be held near the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, VA.