Sec. Beatty Honored for Support of the N.C. National Guard

RALEIGH -- The National Guard Association of the United States has honored the secretary of the N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety with the Charles Dick Award of Merit.  Major General William Ingram Jr., the Adjutant General of the N.C. National Guard, presented the award to Secretary Bryan Beatty on November 3^rd. 

“Sec. Beatty has attended nearly every deployment or welcome home ceremony for our National Guard units called to active duty since the terror attacks of 2001,” said MG Ingram.  “But in addition to that, he is always supportive of our legislative efforts in both Washington, D.C., and in Raleigh.  He is an outstanding advocate for our members and their families.”

The Charles Dick Medal of Merit was established in 1988 and is designed to recognize the contributions to the National Guard by elected representatives to legislative bodies at the state and national levels.  The medal is named in honor of Major General Charles Dick, president of the National Guard Association of the United States from 1902 to 1909, a major general in the Ohio National Guard, a Congressman and later a Senator. Dick was responsible for the passage of legislation in 1903 and 1908 that established the foundation of the modern National Guard.

In order to be nominated for the award, an individual must have distinguished him or herself over an extended period of time in their support to the National Guard.  Superior performance of normal duty alone does not justify award of this medal. An individual must have provided exceptionally strong support to the National Guard in such a way that it has had a lasting effect on the future of the National Guard. The positive affect and the results of the act should outlast the tenure in office of the individual.

Beatty said he was humbled by the award.

“What I do is nothing compared to a member of the National Guard who leaves his or her family for more than a year at a time to risk their lives protecting the freedom that makes our nation so great,” said Beatty. “I'm honored to accept this award on behalf of our National Guard soldiers and airmen and their families.”

Beatty is one of only 17 people across the United States to receive the award this year.  The only other North Carolinian to receive the award is Senator Elizabeth Dole.