Color Guard Medals

     Many Virginia SAR compatriots are qualified for Color Guard Medals that they have not received.  Please read this carefully, and if you think you have earned a Color Guard Medal that you have not received, contact your Chapter Color Guard Commander, or State Color Guard Commander as appropriate.

     Guidance for the Color Guard Medals is published in both the SAR Handbook, Volume V, and the NSSAR Color Guard Handbook.  Virginia uses the Event System for Color Guard Medals.

BRONZE COLOR GUARD MEDAL

     The Bronze Color Guard Medal is awarded by either the Chapter or the State Society for 3 years of color guard service to the Chapter or State Society.  The Virginia SAR Color Guard Commander is the approval authority and the request for approval should be a letter to him.
     Chapter qualifying service for a year is participation in 50% of the scheduled chapter color guard events for any 365/6 consecutive days.  Three, non-overlapping years of such service qualify for the award of this medal.  A letter from the chapter president to the Virginia SAR Color Guard Commander certifying the required service is sufficient justification for the Color Guard Commander to approve the Chapter to award the medal.

     State qualifying service for a year is participation in 50% of the scheduled state color guard events for any 365/6 consecutive days.  Three, non-overlapping years of such service qualify for the award of this medal.  A letter from the color guardsman to the State Color Guard Commander, listing his qualifying service events, is required.  If the Virginia SAR Color Guard Commander confirms the qualifying service he will report this to the Virginia SAR Awards Committee Chairman who will arrange for the presentation of the Bronze Color Guard Medal at a state function.
     The Bronze Color Guard Medal is awarded only once, at either the Chapter or State level.

SILVER COLOR GUARD MEDAL

    The Silver Color Guard Medal is awarded by the National Society for 3 years of color guard service to the National Society and District  The NSSAR SAR Color Guard Commander is the approval authority and the request for approval is a completed "Color Guard Reporting Form" approved by the State Color Guard Commander and the State Society President.
     Qualifying service for a year is participation in 3 scheduled national/district color guard events for any 365/6 consecutive days.  Three, non-overlapping years of such service qualify for the award of this medal.  A list of qualifying events can be found on page 29 of the current SAR Colorguardsman Magazine.

     The Bronze Color Guard Medal must be awarded before the Silver Color Guard Medal will be approved, but the three year periods for each medal can run concurrently.  If you are attending National/District and State/Chapter events  it is possible to qualify for both medals nearly simultaneously.  One restriction is that if an event can count for either National or State, it must be counted for state until the Bronze Color Guard Medal is awarded.  The events that are both National and State are the 4 National Events in Virginia (Crossing of the Dan, Martin's Station, Yorktown, and Great Bridge) and the Annual Meeting with the PG attending.

THE MOLLY PITCHER MEDAL

DON'T FORGET THE LADIES!!!

     The Molly Pitcher Medal is for ladies who support a Color Guardsman.  It is awarded by the National Society for 3 years of support to a color guardsman by a woman (wife, daughter, sister, girlfriend, or any female relative) for support to a particular color guardsman at National, District, and State events.  The supported color guardsman must have been awarded the Silver Color Guard Medal for the woman to qualify. The NSSAR SAR Color Guard Commander is the approval authority and the request for approval is a completed Molly Pitcher Color Guard Reporting Form, approved by the State Color Guard Commander and the State Society President.
    Qualifying service for a year is providing tangible support in 3 scheduled national/district/state color guard events for any 365/6 consecutive days.  Three, non-overlapping years of such service qualify for the award of this medal.   Tangible support is more than attendance and can include such things as providing refreshments, taking photographs, or participating in period clothing.
     It is ideal, though not required, that the woman be presented the Molly Pitcher Medal at the same time that the color guardsman is presented the Silver Color Guard Medal.

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     If a color guardsman continues to be active for 5 years after receiving the Silver Color Guard Medal, he may qualify for the von Steuben Medal.  Criteria for this award is found in the handbooks.
     Also, after receiving the Silver Color Guard Medal, a color guardsman is eligible to be nominated for Color Guardsman of the Year.  The Color Guardsman of the Year receives the Color Guard Gold Medal, and carries the US Flag at all national events in which he participates for the following year.

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     If qualified, but do not have a medal, let's start the approval process
And don't forget the woman in your life for the Molly Pitcher Medal! 
If you are not qualified, get active. 
If you are not a member of the Color Guard, join! 
The biggest reward is a great time with great people.