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"For White House Service" a History of the Presidential Service Badge

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"For White House Service" the intent was to recognize the special services of those A History of the Presidential Service Badge serving the President, the Heraldic Section instead recommended the creation of an identification badge. Fred L. Borch The President’s staff and the Secretary of the Army agreed v~ith this recommendation and, in late 1959 and early 1960, the Heraldic Section designed a badge and Introduction an accompanying certificate. On June 1, 1960, President Eisenhower officially established the White House Collectors of U.S. military decorations, medals, and Service Badge in EO 10879. That order, titled insignia occasionally see a blue enameled circular badge "Establishing the White House Service Certificate and with a yellow-metal American eagle in its center. This the White House Service Badge" provided that a is the Presidential Service Badge--an official military certificate and badge could be awarded "as public badge awarded to those men and women in uniform who evidence of deserved honor and distinction" to: serve in White House-related assignments. Like its sister badge, the white-enameled Vice Presidential Service 1- any soldier, sailor, airman, or marine, except Badge, the blue Presidential Service Badge is quite rare-- the Presidential aides; particularly when compared to other military badges like 2- detailed for duty to the White House; the Army Staff Identification Badge, Office of the 3- for at least one year after January 20, 1953. Secretary of Defense (OSD) Identification Badge, and Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Identification Badge. This is The EO further stated that the Secretaries of the Army, because it is a controlled award; the badge is not for sale Navy and Air Force would award the certificate and through the military or otherwise generally obtainable. badge "upon recommendation of the Presidential On the contrary, each badge is serially numbered and Military, Naval, or Air Force Aide." Interestingly, the issued individually. Given its rarity, and because the EO infers that the service certificate is the more important Presidential Service Badge will soon have its 50t~ award; it takes precedence over the badge in the title of anniversary, now is the time to tell its story. This history the order and in the text. Note also that the new certificate begins by looking at the circumstances surrounding the and badge were for service after January 20, 1953. As early badges’ creation, award criteria, design changes Eisenhower was inaugurated on that date, and as his and proposals, and manufacturing specifications. It status as Commander in Chief was the key legal authority concludes by identifying selected recipients of the for creating the new certificate and badge, it made sense Presidential Service Badge. for awards to be for White House service occurring after that date. Origins and Development On May 15, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower was asked to consider creating a "special emblem" to recognize officers and enlisted men serving in the Office of the President. Eisenhower approved a study on the matter and, on December 3 l, 1958, his military aide sent a draft Executive Order (EO) creating the award to the Secretary of the Army. Accompanying the draft EO was a proposed design for the special emblem. As the Army Quartermaster General’s Heraldic Section (the forerunner of today’s Institute of Heraldry) was responsible for designing and overseeing the manufacture of all Army, Navy and Air Force decorations, medals, and insignia, it made sense for the design for a new emblem to go to it On a ~disk of white enamel the device In silver from the Presidential seal without the for consideration. encircling stars the whole surrounded by 2q gold rays radiating from center 2~’" in diameter overall. Some advocated that the President adopt a ribbon as the distinctive mark of Presidential Service. However, as ribbons are associated with medals and decorations, and Figure 1: The first White House Service Badge. 2 JOMSA A drawing of the original White House Service Badge is at Figure 1. It is described as "a disk of white enamel.. ¯ 2 1/4 inches in diameter." A "silver Presidential seal without the encircling stars" is centered on the badge, which is "surrounded by 27 gold rays radiating from the center." No sooner was the new Service Badge in existence than President Kennedy directed that a new badge be created. It was to be called the White House Identification Badge. The reasoning behind this decision is not entirely clear but, as Presidential aides were not eligible for the Service Badge under E~senhower’s executive order, Kennedy’s new Identification Badge may have been an attempt to create a new badge for them. Additionally, Jaqueline Kennedy was not happy with the white background of the existing Service Badge. She correctly pointed out that as the presidential color was blue (as demonstrated by the blue Presidential seal emblazoned on White House Figure 2: The new blue Presidential Service Badge. stationery, china, linen, etc.) the badge should also be blue. By October 1963, a new blue Identification Badge In April 1967, President Johnson’s extended eligibility had been designed and approved, but Kennedy’s for the badge to the Coast Guard when he signed EO assassination the next month halted work on the project. 11407; Coast Guard personnel on duty in the White While it is possible that Kennedy contemplated having House were now eligible for the certificate and badge. both a white Service Badge and a blue Identification Finally, in March 1992, President Bush signed Executive Badge, it seems unlikely that there would have been two Order 12793. Bush’s order, titled "Continuing the badges for service in the White House. In any event, Presidential Service Certificate and the Presidential President Johnson decided in March 1964 that the newly Service Badge" expanded the pool of eligible recipients designed blue badge would be called the Presidential and set the parameters for today’s award criteria. Service Badge, and that it would replace the old White House Service Badge. In sum, there would be one badge Current Award Criteria for uniformed personnel assigned to the White House. Prior to 1992, EO 11174 restricted awards of the Service On September 1, 1964, Johnson signed EO 11174. Titled Badge to military members "assigned to the White "Establishing the Presidential Service Certificate and the House." Bush’s 1992 EO, however, expanded eligibility Presidential Service Badge," the new EO amended significantly. As a result, any individual assigned to: President Eisenhower’s earlier order by: 1- the White House Office, 2- military units and support facilities "under 1- renaming the certificate and badge the administration" of the White House 2- making all soldiers, sailors, airmen and Military Office, marines eligible for them, provided 3- "other direct support positions" within the 3- they were assigned to the White House for a Executive Office of the President, period of at least one year after January 20, 4- after January 21, 1989, 1961. 5- for at least one year is eligible for the Presidential Service Badge. As with As President Johnson traced his authority as Commander the earlier EOs, the certificate’s award is key to receiving in Chief to President Kennedy’s oath of office on January the badge; the badge is only awarded to those military 20, 1961, it made sense for Johnson to link the new members "who have been granted the certificate." Presidential Service badge to this date. A photograph of Moreover, no individual may receive the Presidential the new blue Presidential Service Badge is at Figure 2. Service Badge if he has already received the Vice Presidential Service Badge--or similar Executive Office Since 1964, there have been two modifications to the of the President certificate--for the same period of basic award criteria of the Presidential Service Badge. service. Vol. 54, No. 2 3 While the White House Service Badge and the Service Badge is at Figure 3. The container for this badge Presidential Service is shown at Figure Badge were orig- 4 (open) and 5 inally intended to be (closed). It a distinctive mark of measures 4 1/2 office for a select inches (length) x number of military 3 1/4 inches personnel in the (width) x 1 inch White House, the (depth). The logo badge today is on the lid of the awarded to hund- light blue box is reds of uniformed white; inside lid men and women. covering is light The Presidential blue rayon or military aides nylon with a dark receive the badge, blue BALFOUR but sg~ do military_ in script; the doctors, nurses, and badge is affixed corpsmen in the to a dark blue, White House Med- felt-covered ical Unit. Cooks and piece of others preparing food cardboard. After Figure 3: Obverse of the original White House Service Badge. in the Navy White John F. Kennedy House Mess do, too. directed that the Officers and enlisted badge’s color be personnel in the Presidential Emergency Operations changed from white to blue, a number of designs were Center also receive the suggested. The blue back- service badge. Finally, ground of the prototype Marine helicopter pilots and shown at Figure 6 also has crew chiefs assigned to fly the 50 encircling stars and the President receive the 27 "rays" present on award, as do chaplains today’s badge, but its assigned to the White House eagle is silver instead of and the Presidential Retreat gold. Figures 7and 8 at Camp David, Maryland. show two other proposed designs. Designs, Certificates, They differ from each Boxes and Specifications other--and the final approved design--only in As the background history of their borders. Figure 7 has the Presidential Service a smooth border; Figure 8 Badge reveals, there have has a rope border.
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