The State of Maryland Distinguished Service Cross (SDSC) is a ribbon bestowed upon those who go above the call of duty in service to the State of

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

. Former or current members of the

Maryland National Guard The Maryland Military Department (MMD) is a department of the State of Maryland directed by the adjutant general of Maryland. The Maryland Military Department consists of the: *State Operations section, which manages fiscal and administrative ...

and former or retired members of the military are eligible to receive the reward, which can be bestowed in honor of one major event or a series of events reflecting meritorious service. s not restricted to any specific period of time. The function of the award was expanded in 2010, when it was modified to also serve to honor active members of the

who - on or off duty - demonstrate remarkable, voluntary acts of

heroism A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such things for the sake of ...

which place the member in personal danger and which go above and beyond the call of duty. The medal is marked with a

valor device Valor, valour, or valorous may mean: * Courage, a similar meaning * Virtue ethics, roughly "courage in defense of a noble cause" Entertainment * Valor Kand, a member of the band Christian Death * ''Valor'' (TV series), an American drama series ...

to indicate this usage."Maryland Military Department Regulations 672-1 (Awards and Decorations)" (August 15, 2010). State of Maryland Military Department. Accessed April 8, 2012.

References

Awards and decorations of the National Guard (United States) {{ODM-stub