Legislative Analysis
Phone: (517) 373-8080
MICHIGAN MILITARY DEPARTMENT STATE AWARDS
http://www.house.mi.gov/hfa
PROGRAM AND CIVILIAN STATE AWARDS ACT
Analysis available at
House Bill 6276 (H-1) as referred to second committee http://www.legislature.mi.gov
Sponsor: Rep. Beau Matthew LaFave
House Bill 6277 (H-1) as referred to second committee
Sponsor: Rep. Gregory Markkanen
House Bill 6278 (H-1) as referred House Bill 6279 (H-1) as referred
Sponsor: Rep. Annette Glenn Sponsor: Rep. Lynn Afendoulis
Committee: Military, Veterans and Homeland Security
Complete to 12-5-20
SUMMARY:
Taken together, the bills would create the Michigan Civilian State Awards Act and establish
the Michigan Military Department State Awards Program, under which a member of the
legislature, or a member of the public, could submit nominees for public honor and recognition
of their performance of valorous or heroic deeds.
House Bill 6276 would create a new act, the Michigan Civilian State Awards Act, to provide
for civilian state awards.
The adjutant general would receive award nominations submitted under the program and
determine if the nominee meets the award requirements. A nomination could be submitted by
the public. A nomination would have to provide, in writing, an account of the occurrence
warranting the award and any eyewitness statement, extract from official records, sketch, map,
diagram, or photograph that supports and amplifies the stated facts. The adjutant general would
have to seek out and record additional information.
An award nomination could be submitted through the Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs website. A member of the House of Representatives or Senate could submit an award
recommendation to the chairs of the respective committees with responsibility for military and
veterans affairs.
The legislature could award the Michigan Legislative Medal of Freedom, which would be the
highest civilian award of the state.
The medal would have to be awarded to an individual in recognition of a valorous or heroic
deed performed in saving a life, for injury or death, or for threat of injury or death, incurred in
service of the state or his or her community or on behalf of the health, welfare of safety of other
individuals.
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 The adjutant general would have to submit the following information to the chairs of the House
and Senate committees responsible for military and veterans affairs:
• If the adjutant general determines that a nominee does not qualify for the medal, the
name of the nominee and the reasons why.
• If the adjutant general determines that a nominee does qualify and the adjutant general
recommends the medal, the recommendation, the nomination, and any supporting
documents.
The medal would be awarded upon passage of a concurrent resolution of the legislature. The
resolution could be considered only during a regular session of the legislature.
Upon passage of the resolution, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate
Majority Leader would have to award the medal in the presence of the governor, the sponsoring
legislator or legislators, and the representative and senator of the district where the awardee
resides.
House Bill 6277 would amend the Michigan Military Act to establish the Michigan Legislative
Medal of Honor, which the legislature could award, and which would be highest military award
of the state.
A Michigan resident who is a service member of the state military establishment or the U.S.
Armed Forces could be considered for the award. To be eligible, the service member would
have to have been born or died in Michigan or have been a resident at the time of his or her
entry into military service.
The medal would have to be awarded to a service member who voluntarily performs a deed of
personal bravery or self-sacrifice involving risk of life that is so conspicuous as to clearly
distinguish him or her for gallantry and intrepidity above his or her comrades. Awarding the
medal would have to be determined according to the standard of extraordinary merit. The
medal could be awarded only on incontestable proof of performance of the deed.
The adjutant general would have to submit the following information to the chairs of the House
and Senate committees responsible for military and veterans affairs:
• If the adjutant general determines that a nominee does not qualify for the medal, the
name of the nominee and the reasons why.
• If the adjutant general determines that a nominee does qualify and the adjutant general
recommends the medal, the recommendation, the nomination, and any supporting
documents.
The medal would be awarded upon passage of a concurrent resolution of the legislature. The
resolution could be considered only during a regular session of the legislature, The legislature
could not, during a single regular session, direct the medal to be awarded to more than the
following:
• One member of the state military establishment or the Armed Forces of the United
States who served during the period beginning January 1, 1836, and ending December
31, 1955.
• One member of the state military establishment or the Armed Forces of the United
States who served on or after January 1, 1956.
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 Upon passage of the resolution, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate
Majority Leader would have to award the medal in the presence of the governor, the sponsoring
legislator or legislators, and the representative and senator of the district where the awardee
resides.
If the legislature determines that a recommendation does not meet the standards for awarding
the medal, the legislature could determine that the recommendation meets the threshold for
awarding the Michigan Great Lakes Medal of Valor or determine that the recommendation
meets the threshold for another state award that is commensurate with the deed performed and
recommend to the adjutant general the awarding of that award.
Proposed MCL 32.683
House Bill 6278 would amend the Michigan Military Act to establish the Michigan Great
Lakes Medal of Valor, which the legislature could award, and which would be the second
highest military award of the state.
The award would be for a service member of the state military establishment, that of another
state, or the Armed Forces of the United States who performs specific acts of bravery or
outstanding courage, or who performs within an exceptionally short period of time a closely
related series of heroic acts, if the acts involve personal hazard or danger and the voluntary risk
of life and result in an accomplishment so exceptional and outstanding as to clearly set the
service member apart from his or her comrades or from other individuals in similar
circumstances.
Awarding of the medal would require a lesser degree of gallantry than awarding of the
Michigan Legislative Medal of Honor but would require the acts be performed with marked
distinction.
The adjutant general would have to submit the following information to the chairs of the House
and Senate committees responsible for military and veterans affairs:
• If the adjutant general determines that a nominee does not qualify for the medal, the
name of the nominee and the reasons why.
• If the adjutant general determines that a nominee does qualify and the adjutant general
recommends the medal, the recommendation, the nomination, and any supporting
documents.
The medal would be awarded upon passage of a concurrent resolution of the legislature. The
resolution could be considered only during a regular session of the legislature.
Upon passage of the resolution, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate
Majority Leader would have to award the medal in the presence of the governor, the sponsoring
legislator or legislators, and the representative and senator of the district where the awardee
resides.
If the legislature determines that a recommendation does not meet the standards for awarding
the medal, the legislature could determine that the recommendation meets the threshold for
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 another state award that is commensurate with the deed performed and recommend to the
adjutant general the awarding of that award.
Proposed MCL 32.684
House Bill 6279 would amend the Michigan Military Act to require the Department of Military
and Veterans Affairs to establish and operate a program to award medals and other suitable
means of public recognition. The program would be known as the Michigan Military
Department State Awards Program.
The adjutant general would have to develop and publish rules to carry out the program. Awards
under the program would have to include at least the Michigan Legislative Medal Honor,
Michigan Great Lakes Medal of Valor, and Michigan Legislative Medal of Freedom.
The adjutant general would receive award nominations submitted under the program and
determine if the nominee meets the award requirements. A nomination could be submitted by
the public. A nomination would have to provide, in writing, an account of the occurrence
warranting the award and any eyewitness statement, extract from official records, sketch, map,
diagram, or photograph that supports and amplifies the stated facts. The adjutant general would
have to seek out and record additional information.
Awards under the program would have to include at least all of the following:
• Michigan Purple Heart Medal – awarded to service members who, after September
11, 2001, were inducted into federal service from the Michigan National Guard and
meet the criteria for an award of the federal purple heart medal.
• Michigan Patriots Medal – presented to the next of kin of each member of the state
military establishment who is killed in armed conflict.
• Michigan Superior Service Medal – awarded to a service member of the state military
establishment who has completed 30 or more years of honorable state service, or a
combination of state and federal service, and has continually demonstrated superior
performance and service while assigned to key leadership positions demanding
responsibility, or a civilian who has contributed significant service to the state military
establishment.
• Michigan Distinguished Service Medal – awarded to a member of the state military
establishment, that of another state, or the Armed Forces of the United States for
exceptionally outstanding achievement or service to this state in performance of a duty
of great responsibility while serving with the state military establishment.
• Michigan Outstanding Service Medal – awarded to a service member of the state
military establishment, that of another state, or the Armed Forces of the United States
who has performed service in a superior and clearly outstanding manner.
• Michigan Medal of Merit – awarded to a member of the state military establishment,
that of another state, or the Armed Forces of the United States who performs
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 outstanding service or attains extraordinary achievement on behalf of this state or the
United States.
• Federal Service Medal – awarded to a service member who was inducted into federal
service from the state military establishment between June 15, 1940, and January 1,
1946, or on or after June 1, 1950, if the service was for a period of time greater than 90
days.
• Michigan Desert Shield/Desert Storm Campaign Medal – awarded to service
members who were inducted into federal service from the Michigan National Guard
on or after August 1, 1990, in support of Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert
Storm, without regard to the place where the service member was deployed while
serving on active federal military duty.
• Michigan Iraqi Campaign Medal – awarded to service members who were inducted
into federal service from the Michigan National Guard on or after March 19, 2003, in
support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, or on or after August 31, 2010, in support of
Operation New Dawn, without regard to the place where the service member was
deployed while serving on active federal military duty.
• Michigan Afghanistan Campaign Medal – awarded to service members who were
inducted into federal service from the Michigan National Guard on or after October 6,
2001, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, without regard to the place where
the service member was deployed while serving on active federal military duty.
• Michigan Humanitarian Service Medal – awarded to a service member who does
not meet the criteria for an award of the federal humanitarian service medal, is a
member of the state military establishment, and while serving on state active duty or
active duty under state authority participates satisfactorily in defense support to a
mission under civilian authority to protect life or property during or soon after a natural
disaster or civil unrest in this state.
• Michigan Emergency Service Medal – awarded to service members of the Michigan
National Guard for honorable service to this state during a major tour of state
emergency duty declared by the governor of this state or the president of the United
States.
• Michigan Homeland Defense Service Medal – awarded to a service member of the
state military establishment who served on or after September 11, 2001, on state active
duty or active duty under state authority or served satisfactorily in defense support to a
mission in this state under civilian authority.
• Michigan Combat Service Ribbon – awarded to a service member of the Michigan
National Guard who served after September 11, 2001, in a hostile fire zone as
designated by the United States Secretary of Defense.
• Michigan Faithful Service Medal – awarded to a member of the state military
establishment who has completed five years of honorable service during which the
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 service member has shown fidelity to duty, efficient service, and great loyalty to this
state.
• Michigan War on Terrorism Service Medal – presented to a member of the state
military establishment or Armed Forces of the United States who has supported
operations to counter terrorism, was deployed overseas in direct service to the war on
terror, or has been attached to a unit based in Iraq or Syria and has flown missions over
those countries or has served in contiguous waters for 30 consecutive days or 60
nonconsecutive days. Service members who were killed or were medically evacuated
from those countries due to wounds or injuries immediately qualify for the award, as
do members who engaged in combat. Service members awarded this medal must meet
the requirements for the federal global war on terrorism service medal, global war on
terrorism expeditionary medal, and/or inherent resolve campaign medal.
• Michigan Military Funeral Honors Ribbon – awarded to members of the state
military establishment, or a veterans' organization, who have been trained and certified
by the United States Department of Defense as Department of Defense funeral honors
participants.
• Michigan Governor’s Unit Citation Ribbon – authorized for units or organizational
detachments of the state military establishment for extraordinary valor or exceptionally
meritorious conduct or achievement in the performance of outstanding combat
operations, combat support, or service support operations or activities, for at least 90
continuous days in support of military operations while on active duty.
The program would have to include a Michigan National Guard awards decorations program
with at least all of the following awards:
• Michigan Medal for Valor.
• Michigan Distinguished Service Medal.
• Mi