Saint George Award
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The Order of Saint George Medallion is the top award given to members of the Army's mounted force by the United States Armor Association of the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
. The award is issued (in increasing levels of prestige) as a black, bronze, silver, or gold medallion, depending on the recipient's eligibility. , a total of 76 Gold OSGs and 4 Gold NPAs had been awarded, and a total of just over 10,000 medallions of all types.


History

The United States Armor Association began its awards program in 1986 and added the black medallion in 2008. It is named in honor of
Saint George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...
, who is the patron of mounted warriors and is often depicted on horseback. The Saint George Award program provides the mounted force with a way to recognize outstanding performers, their spouses ( Order of St. Joan D'Arc Medallion) and Armor Force supporters ( Noble Patron of Armor Award). The Black Medallion is awarded to junior officers (lieutenants and junior captains) as well as junior NCOs (corporals, sergeants, and staff sergeants) and the very best and extraordinary performing enlisted soldiers. The Bronze Medallion is presented to officers who have successfully completed a successful armor company or cavalry troop command (generally senior captains or majors) or officers who completed a successful armor battalion, cavalry squadron, or brigade command (lieutenant colonels and colonels). It should only be awarded once, so an officer who has a successful battalion command after receiving the award as a captain should not receive it again. The Bronze Medallion is also awarded to senior NCOs (sergeant first class, first sergeant, sergeant major) for exemplary performance as a platoon sergeant, company/troop first sergeant, or battalion/squadron/brigade/division command sergeant major. The Silver Medallion is only presented to officers or NCOs who reach retirement (20+ years of service to the army's armor/cavalry branch) or serve beyond the branch (generally officers promoted to general officer status which has no branch) while maintaining bronze level qualification in all levels of authority. As such, this level defines the difference between the best of the professional career armor/cavalry soldiers and the best of the citizen-soldier armor/cavalrymen who were top performing leaders but do not make the army a career. The Gold Medallion is presented as a special-level award that recognizes amazing service to the army and the branch beyond military service (if retired army) or as a civilian or policymaker. While military service can greatly enhance a nomination for this level, it is not enough of a qualification by itself. Some Gold OSG recipients include: GEN
James H. Polk James Hilliard Polk (13 December 1911 – 18 February 1992) was a United States Army four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, United States Army Europe from 1967 to 1971. He was one of the last senior commanders in the army to have se ...
(#2, 1986), GEN Donn Starry (#5, 1987), GEN Bruce C. Clark (#9, 1988), GEN William A. Knowlton (#12, 1989), GEN Glenn K. Otis (#14, 1990), GEN Michael S. Davison (#16, 1991), MG
George S. Patton IV George Smith Patton IV (December 24, 1923 – June 27, 2004) was a major general in the United States Army and the son of World War II General George S. Patton Jr. He served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Career Patton was educate ...
(#17, 1991), GEN
Gordon R. Sullivan Gordon Russell Sullivan (25 September 1937 – 2 January 2024) was a United States Army general, who served as the 32nd Chief of Staff of the Army and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Sullivan also served as acting Secretary of the Arm ...
(#43, 2002), SMA Jack Tilley (#53, 2008), GEN Frederick M. Franks (#73, 2016), & SMA Kenneth O. Preston (#74, 2016).


Eligibility

Recipients of the Saint George Award must be members of the United States Armor Association and they must be nominated by another qualified member. Black and Bronze Medallions are approved by the first qualified O-5 ( lieutenant colonel) battalion/squadron commander in the soldier's chain of command. Silver Medallions are approved by the first qualified O-6 (full
colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
) or above, depending on the recipient's rank and position.


Related U.S. military association awards

*
Order of Saint Maurice The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus () (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the world, tracing its lineage to AD 1098, an ...
-
National Infantry Association The National Infantry Association (NIA) was established in April 1982 at Fort Benning, Georgia as the Infantry Association, operating as a titular organization for the subscribers of “Infantry” magazine. In 1994, it was incorporated as the ...
* Order of Saint Barbara - United States Field Artillery Association *
Order of Saint Michael The Order of Saint Michael () is a French dynastic order of chivalry, founded by King Louis XI of France on 1 August 1469, in response to the Order of the Golden Fleece founded by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, Louis' chief competitor fo ...
- Army Aviation Association of America *Order of Samuel Sharpe - Army Ordnance Association *Order of Saint Christopher - Transportation Corps Regimental Association *Order of Saint Martin - US Army Quartermaster Foundation *Order of Saint Isidore - Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association International *The
Thomas Knowlton Thomas W. Knowlton (November 22, 1740 – September 16, 1776) was an American patriot who served in the French and Indian War and was a colonel during the American Revolution. Knowlton is considered America's first Intelligence professional, ...
Award - Military Intelligence Corps Association
de Fleury Medal
- The United States Engineer Regiment


See also

* Honorable Order of Molly Pitcher - U.S. Field Artillery Association (USFAA) and the Air Defense Artillery Association (ADAA)


References

{{reflist Awards and decorations of the United States Army