JEFFERSON CITY – On Thursday, July 11th, Governor Mike Parson signed into law the expansion of the Missouri Veterans Recognition Program. The expansion allows for the creation of a new medallion and medal to honor Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, and Operation Allies Refuge. The Missouri Veterans Recognition Program, in conjunction with the Missouri Veterans Commission, is seeking new design submissions for the new medal and medallion.

Submissions for the new medal and medallion designs are due by September 30, 2024, and should be submitted for the front of the medal and medallion only. The design should not be similar or like any current military or Missouri National Guard medals, ribbons, or awards. Interested parties can submit their design work by email to ng.mo.vets@army.mil or by mail to Missouri Veterans Recognition Program, P.O. Box 1808, Jefferson City, MO 65102. For questions, please call toll free (866) 834-3431 or (573) 638-9561. For specific submission information, visit moguard.ngb.mil/resources/veteran-awards.

Under the new act, any Veteran who served on active duty during Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, and Operation Allies Refuge, is a legal resident of Missouri or was a legal resident at the time of discharge from military service, or was a Missouri National Guard member regardless of residency, is eligible for the medal and medallion.

The Missouri Veterans Recognition Program traces its roots to an April 23, 1919 Act of the Missouri General Assembly. This act authorized the Missouri National Guard Adjutant General to procure and present, as a token of appreciation of the state, a medal to each member of the National Guard of Missouri who served with a Missouri unit and Veterans who served in the armed forces during the Spanish American War, Mexican Border Service or World War I. The WWII awards program was announced in 2000, followed by Korea in 2003 and Vietnam in 2006, and two new programs, Operations Desert Shield/Storm and Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn, were approved by Senate Bill 600 in 2014.

The Missouri Veterans Commission operates seven State Veterans Homes, five State Veterans Cemeteries, and the Veterans Services Program. The Commission is committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care for Veterans, seamlessly integrated with the Veteran community, emphasizing a culture of transparency and excellence. For more information about the Missouri Veterans Commission programs, call 573-751-3779 or visit mvc.dps.mo.gov. 

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please visit www.moguard.com and our social media sites: www.facebook.com/Missouri.National.Guard; www.instagram.com/Missouri.National.Guard; www.twitter.com/Missouri_NG; www.youtube.com/MoNationalGuard; www.flickr.com/photos/missouriguard 

For more information, call 573-522-4228 or e-mail Aimee.Packard@mvc.dps.mo.gov