Federal employees who have cleaned up after devastating wildfires, distributed funds for electric school buses across the country and ensured mines don’t cave in are contending for a prominent civil service award.
The Partnership for Public Service announced this week 25 finalists for its Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, or the “Sammies” for short. The awards, billed as the federal workforce’s Oscars, honor government staff each year for their extraordinary public service.
Civil servants who protect the environment as well as others responding to disasters, expanding access to medicine and cracking down on crime are among the Sammies’ finalists this year.
The awards are grouped in five categories, including science, technology and environment as well as safety, security and international affairs. All finalists are also eligible to win federal employee of the year from the partnership, a good government research group.
