8-1.3: USPA Service Awards

A. USPA Lifetime Achievement Award

1. Introduction
   1. Perhaps the most respected honor which is offered by the United States Parachute Association is the USPA Lifetime Achievement Award, which was originally conceived and created in 1970, as a result of an initial gift of $3,000 from an “Anonymous Donor.”
   2. The sum was eventually enlarged to a total of $30,000 over a period of years and the funds were placed on deposit with the National Aeronautic Association, which agreed to administer them on behalf of the United States Parachute Association, for the purpose of underwriting the cost of a variety of perpetual competition trophies, as well as the Achievement Award.
   3. The fund ceased to exist in 1982 when the final money available was used to construct the floor-to ceiling display cases at USPA’s Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.
   4. The agreement signed on May 13, 1970, between Attorney John Kerr Wilson, acting for the “Anonymous Donor;” General Brooke E. Allen, Executive Director of the National Aeronautic Association, acting for the National Aeronautic Association; and Dr. Edward A. Fitch, president of the United States Parachute Association, acting for USPA, stipulates (among other things) that at any time on or after May 13, 1975, the “Anonymous Donor” may identify himself and direct that any and all awards created through his gift carry his name. To date the “Anonymous Donor” has not seen fit to exercise this privilege.
2. Qualifications for the award: The May 13, 1970, agreement, as accepted by USPA, describes the award itself and the qualifications required of recipients, using this language:
   “To provide a bowl or other suitable trophy to be known initially as ‘The United States Parachute Association Achievement Award’ [renamed ‘USPA Lifetime Achievement Award’ in July, 2004], which shall be perpetual and will be awarded annually to an expert active or retired sport parachute jumper in recognition of outstanding sportsmanship, skill, or personal contribution to the sport of parachuting and the United States Parachute Association, its goals and purposes. The recipient of such award will be selected by the board of directors by a majority vote during a closed regular or special meeting. In the event a majority of the board of directors cannot agree upon a recipient of such award on account of a lack of preeminence of the sport parachutist in any one year, the award will be made at least once each two years. Such trophy will be kept permanently in an appropriate location to be determined by the board of directors.”
3. Description of trophy
   1. The trophy itself is a sterling silver bowl, 15 inches in diameter, seated on an octagonal teakwood base which bears carved wooden replicas of the USPA emblem on four faces and sterling silver plates listing the names and qualifications of recipients of the award on the other four faces.
   2. Traditionally, each year the recipient receives a smaller, eight-inch diameter replica sterling-silver bowl as his or her personal possession.
4. Other considerations
   1. Traditionally the award is made for the year prior to the year in which it is presented.
   2. While the deed of gift requires that the award be given only to an individual, in 1974, the presentation was made to the United States Army Parachute Team, which suggests that the language in the deed is usable more as a guideline than as a strict requirement.
   3. The Membership Services Committee and the board has usually regarded the statement, “In recognition of personal contribution to the United States Parachute Association, its goals and purposes” as an overriding requirement (i.e., achievements in sport parachuting unrelated to the United States Parachute Association would normally not be considered sufficient to qualify a recipient, lacking specific contributions to USPA).
   4. While the deed of gift states that the award must be made at least once every two years, neither in 1991 nor in 1992 was a recipient named, thereby again suggesting that this particular language serves more as a guideline than as a requirement.
   5. No current member of the USPA Board of Directors may be recommended for the USPA Lifetime Achievement Award during his or her term as a member of the board.
      1. In practice, this requirement has been extended to forbid a nomination for at least two full years after the end of board service.
      2. It is enlarged to include as ineligible current or former USPA employees, also until at least two years after their employment ends.

B. USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Service

1. Background
   1. The USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Service was established on July 13, 1997, by the USPA Board of Directors.
   2. The award given to no more than three recipients per year, in the form of a struck brass medal which measures three inches in diameter, weighs approximately five ounces and is slotted at the top for attachment of a 30-inch gold fabric ribbon.
   3. For permanent display at USPA Headquarters is a large wooden plaque measuring two feet by four feet and adorned with an exact replica of the medal along with brass metal strips bearing the name and date of each recipient.
2. Criteria for the award
   1. The USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Service is to honor outstanding USPA members who, by their efforts over a period of years, have made significant contributions to the skydiving community.
   2. Each recipient must be or have been a USPA member and been active in sport parachuting for at least 20 years in the areas of, but not limited to judging, instruction, jumpmastering, camera (film and video), competition, and safety.
   3. No current member of the USPA Board of Directors may be considered for the award and no past member of the board of directors of USPA may be considered for the award until at least two years after retiring from the board.
   4. No current employee of USPA may be considered for the award and no past employee of USPA may be considered for the award until at least two years after leaving USPA employment.

C. USPA Regional Achievement Award

1. Background
   1. Many outstanding individuals have contributed to the sport more on a local or regional level. To recognize the contribution of these individuals, the Board of Directors has created this award.
   2. The award is presented to no more than five recipients per year total, in the form of a certificate.
2. Criteria for the award
   1. The USPA Regional Achievement Award is to honor an outstanding member of a USPA region who, by their efforts over a period of time or one outstanding act, has made a significant contribution to that region’s skydiving community.
   2. No current member of the USPA Board of Directors may be considered for the award and no past member of the Board of Directors of USPA may be considered for the award until they have been off the board for at least two years.
   3. No current employee of USPA may be considered for the award and no past employee of USPA may be considered for the award until at least two years after leaving USPA employment.

D. USPA Chesley H. Judy Safety Award

1. Background
   1. A fund was established at USPA in 1997 to honor the memory of Ches Judy, former USPA Director of Safety and Training, killed in a skydiving plane crash two years earlier.
   2. Distribution of the fund was in abeyance pending the development of a suitable safety-related program.
2. Purpose of the award
   1. In 2004, USPA developed a safety award to honor members who had promoted safety in our sport.
   2. The USPA Board determined that the new award was consistent with the original intent of the Ches Judy Safety Fund, so therefore designated the new award as the USPA Chesley H. Judy Safety Award.
3. USPA Headquarters developed the certificate, which is available at no charge to each drop zone to honor the local USPA member who is most deserving of the award.
4. The award is to be presented on USPA Safety Day in conjunction with the other planned activities for the annual event.
5. Criteria for the award: The selection for the award recipient should be based on the previous year’s actions or accomplishments of any current USPA member who, through example, deed, training, or innovation, had promoted safe skydiving in a substantive way.
6. Selection and administrative procedures
   1. The USPA S&TA in consultation with the drop zone owner selects one individual from the drop zone to which the award is appointed based on the above criteria.
   2. By February 15th, the S&TA requests a certificate from headquarters, either in writing (attention: Safety & Training), or by email to safety@uspa.org.
   3. The request should include the correctly spelled name of the recipient and the name of the drop zone.
   4. USPA will provide the completed certificate to the requesting S&TA for presentation during that year’s Safety Day activities.