DAV National Commander’s Awards Program recognizes VA employees who go above and beyond to support the men and women who served

Nominations are now open to recognize outstanding U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs employees.

An individual from the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration will each be recognized at the 97th DAV National Convention in Reno, Nev.

“The recipients of these awards represent the best among the best of veterans’ advocates each year,” said National Commander Delphine Metcalf-Foster. “They go above and beyond in serving the men and women who sacrificed for this nation. This isn’t a job for them—they’re fulfilling a promise and it is an absolute honor to recognize them.”

DAV chapters can submit their nominations to their department. National service officers may also submit recommendations. The state-level departments collect, review and then may submit one entry for each category for consideration to Washington Headquarters Executive Director Garry Augustine. The National Amputation and National Blind Veterans Chapters may submit nominations directly to the executive director, who advises the national commander on the nominations.

In addition to the application, nominee’s submission should include a resume outlining current work activities, along with past employment serving veterans. Service in the military and/or membership in DAV should also be included when applicable, though nominees do not need to be veterans to be considered. Nominees must provide a signed written consent for consideration.

The selection of each recipient is based upon the accomplishments of the nominee in relation to how his or her employment positively impacts DAV’s mission of fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served. The ability of the nominee to effectively motivate others to positively serve the needs of injured and ill veterans and their families is also factored.

Nominations close on Feb. 28.

“DAV is dedicated to a single purpose: empowering veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity,” said Augustine. “The recipients of these awards embody DAV’s commitment to the men and women who served and we commend them for the work they do for veterans day in and day out.”

To learn more about the DAV National Commander’s Awards and to download an application, visit www.dav.org/events/2018-national-convention. To read about last year’s recipients, check out the September/October 2017 issue of DAV Magazine: http://dav.la/2u.