ROTC / JROTC Leadership Award History

In 1987, the Department of Florida adopted a resolution from Indian River Chapter 494, proposing the creation of a national MOPH ROTC award. This resolution was then adopted by the 55th National Convention in Orlando, Florida, in August of that year. The award’s originator, Patriot George Rairden, served as the Americanism Officer for Indian River Chapter 494 and envisioned a program where MOPH chapters and departments could honor local ROTC cadets.

Rairden’s goal was for National Headquarters to provide medals recognizing both academic and military excellence, allowing them to be awarded nationwide.

The resolution, passed unanimously, outlined the following:

• To honor outstanding members in both Junior and Senior ROTC programs for military and scholastic excellence

• To create two separate medals: one for ROTC and one for JROTC presentations

• To make these medals available at cost to chapters and departments for use in their communities

Unfortunately, while the resolution's intent was strong, none of these specific guidelines were followed in the final implementation.

Despite deviations from the original plan, the medal eventually became a respected and widely used honor. Adjutant General Frank Athanason led the development of the medal in partnership with a national supplier. The first design included five bars labeled: Leadership, Merit, Scholarship, Recruiting, and Excellence.

However, it quickly became clear that cadets placed more value on ribbons, a part of the uniform that could be worn regularly, rather than medals, which are rarely displayed outside formal events. This insight led to the adoption of the plain purple ribbon, now a key element of the award.

By 1990, both the medal and the ribbon were ready—but distribution could not begin until each Training Command (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines) approved the award and authorized the ribbon as part of the cadet uniform.

Initial feedback from the Department of the Army indicated that the award’s multiple focus areas overlapped with existing honors, such as the American Legion’s awards for military and academic excellence. To carve out a distinct place for the Purple Heart award, the program was refocused solely on Leadership.

The final product became known as the Military Order of the Purple Heart Leadership Award, which received official recognition across all service branches. A certificate to accompany the medal and ribbon was completed by 1992, making the award fully operational.

In the end, several elements of the original 1987 resolution did not make it into practice:

• There is one unified medal, not separate ROTC and JROTC versions

• The award is focused solely on leadership, not a combination of merit categories

• The medals are not available at cost, contrary to the original proposal

Yet despite these changes, the MOPH ROTC/JROTC Leadership Award has become an incredibly successful and meaningful honor—recognizing young leaders who embody the values of patriotism, service, and excellence.