Each year, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United State selects emergency medical technicians, law enforcement and firefighter personnel to receive Public Servant Awards. Local VFW Posts submit a winner from each category to their State VFW Department Headquarters. The department then selects a single winner for each of the three awards and submit those to VFW National Headquarters.

The VFW National Emergency Medical Technician Public Servant Award applies to any individual, who actively gives emergency medical treatment, provides rescue service or civil disaster assistance as a member of any public or volunteer company organized to give emergency medical care, provide rescue and civil disaster assistance to our nation's citizens.

The VFW National Law Enforcement Public Servant Award applies to any individual who serves in a municipal, county, state or federal unit tasked with enforcement of the laws pertaining to their area of responsibility. This award does not apply to individuals employed by private companies or security services.

The VFW National Firefighters Public Servant Award applies to any individual who actively fights fires as a member of any public or volunteer company organized to fight fires and give assistance to our nation's citizens.

Left is Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office Deputy Brian Hornback, Right is VFW Wahkiakum Post 5297 Commander Bill Tawater, Photo by Esther Roche.

Candidates must have demonstrated recognition by their colleagues or those they serve; consistent excellence in the performance of their duties; and consistent dedication to their official responsibilities and skills within their profession. The agencies contacted to submit their candidates were the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office, District 8 Detachment of the Washington State Patrol, Cathlamet Fire Department, and Fire Districts 1-4.

This year, Wahkiakum VFW Post 5297 has selected members of the community for each category for 2020-2021. On Jan. 6, at the Wahkiakum County Courthouse Meeting Room, Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office Deputy Brian Hornback was presented with the Law Enforcement Award. On January 7, at the District 1 Fire Hall on Puget Island, Firefighter David Basham was presented with the Firefighter Public Servant Award. Also, on January 7, at the Cathlamet Fire Hall, EMT Paul Tillman was presented with the EMT Public Servant Award. Each winner was given a certificate along with a citation, a plaque, and a check for $100. All three Post award packages have been sent to the Washington State VFW Department for consideration and hopefully on to the VFW National Headquarters.