Heroism and Meritorious Service Award Presentation

Materials needed:  medal, certificate, photocopy of certificate, knot insignia

Personnel needed:  awardee, Commissioner or Executive, parents, two Eagle Scouts or Order of the Arrow members to serve as escorts.  If using Order of the Arrow members, they should wear the OA sash and NOT the merit badge sash during this ceremony.

This ceremony can be incorporated into a unit's monthly program, a special Court of Honor, or any other event.  It is short, to the point, and impressive. 

The key to the success of this ceremony is the invitation of the senior-most Commissioner (preferred) or 
Executive (if you cannot get the Commissioner).   This should either be the Council or District Commissioner or the Scout Executive or his or her designee.  DO NOT provide for a unit-level Commissioner or the District Executive to do this presentation....these awards are the highest service and heroism awards of the BSA, and as such the BSA should have the highest Commissioner or the Scout Executive to do the presentation on behalf of the movement. 

Resist the urge also to get the Council President or some other Scouter or "famous person" to award the medal and certificate to the Scout.  While that insures *free press*, the emphasis of the ceremony moves from the Scout (where it should be) to the person "presenting the award" (where it should NOT be).  The national awards of the BSA should always be presented by the lead Commissioner (the Council Commissioner) or a District Commissioner at the least; and in their sted, the Council's Scout Executive or 
Council Executive should do the presentation on their behalf.

The ceremony starts with the reading of the following statement by the Commissioner or Executive:

"At this time, on behalf of the National Council, Boy Scouts of America, I hereby conviene this special
Court of Honor for the purpose of awarding the (Honor Medal, Merit Medal, Heroism Medal, Certificate of
Merit) to (full name of Scout or Scouter).  Will (full name of Scout or Scouter) along with his party be escorted forward to the front."

(Eagle Scouts or OA members escort the awardee and his or her party (parents, girl/boy friend, etc.) to
the front.)

"The National Council of the Boy Scouts of America presents four awards to outstanding Scouts or Scouters who have rendered special service to others.  The Honor Medal is presented to Scouts and Scouters for saving life at extreme risk to the life of the Scout or Scouter.  The Merit Medal is presented to Scouts and Scouters for the performance of service well above which is expected of all Scouts and Scouters in their daily lives and which impacts others to a high degree.  The Heroism Medal is presented to Scouts and Scouters for saving life at a minimal or less risk than that of the Honor Medal.  Certificates of Merit are authorized to be presented when the Scout or Scouter performs a single or multiple acts of heroism or service but of a lesser degree than those required for the other three awards."

"All of these awards are presented in the name of the Boy Scouts of America.  In order for a Scout or Scouter to be honored with such an award, application must be made and approved by the BSA's National Court of Honor.  It is in their behalf that I call this portion of the ceremony this evening to make this award."

(Commissioner reads the citiation on the certificate)

"On behalf of the Boy Scouts of America, it gives me great honor to present the (Honor Medal, Merit Medal, Heroism Medal, Certificate of Merit) to (rank and full name of Scout; if Scouter, "Scouter" followed by the full name of the Scouter)."

(Commissioner presents medal set to parents; parents pin the medal onto the shirt of the Scout or Scouter. 
Then Commissioner presents the certificate to the parents who then in turn presents it to the Scout or Scouter.)

"I declare this Court of Honor for the purpose of presenting the (Honor Medal, Merit Medal, Heroism Medal, Certificate of Merit) to (full name of Scout or Scouter) closed.  Please join with me in recognizing the meritiorous service (heroism) of this outstanding member of the Boy Scouts of America."

(end of ceremony; after all recognitions are done, Eagle Scouts/OA members escort the awardee and his/her party back to their seats.)