Pictured with the Vice President , Attorney General, and Assistant Attorney General are honorees: Deputy Carl A. Beier, Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County, Missouri;  Chief Randy D. Poindexter, Fire Department, Kingfisher, Oklahoma; Lieutenant Brian S. Sturgill, Oklahoma Highway Patrol; Lieutenant Paul R. Pender, Jr., Acting Lieutenant Gerald J. Murphy, and Firefighter Frederick C. Johnston, Fire Department, Brookline, Mass; Detective Jared T. Reston, Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville, Fla.; Officer Pedro Garcia, III, Police Department, San Antonio, TX;   Captain Edwin Lynn O’Berry, Fire/Rescue, Palm Beach County, FL;   Officer Vidal Alberto Colon, Police Department, Milwaukee, WI;  Fire Lieutenant William Ervin Appel, Firefighter/Paramedic Andrew Charles Neff, Firefighter/Paramedic Michael Scott Chellis, and Firefighter/EMT Timothy Allen Wisely Fire Department, City of Maplewood, MO.

“This award can not capture the full measure of our gratitude. And it can not heal the wounds of seeing colleagues suffer or, in some cases, make the ultimate sacrifice. But I hope that, for today’s awardees, the Medal of Valor will serve as a reminder that your work strengthens our nation’s finest traditions of public service and that the American people are, and always will be, in your debt.”

“You step into harm’s way to form a line between safety and violence, calm and chaos, and hope and despair” as if it were part of your DNA.