Late Westfield Principal Nominated For Soldier's Medal

WESTFIELD, NJ - The Westfield Board of Education voted unanimously to nominate the late Dr. Derrick Nelson for the Soldier's Medal.

Nelson died in died in April due to complications of donating bone marrow to a sick child overseas. In the months since the untimely passing of the Westfield High School Principal his extended community has been looking for a demonstrable way to honor the soldier, educator, mentor and father. A petition was formed to rename Westfield High School after him. Flags were flown at half staff in his honor and an education fund was established for his daughter. But this new move by the school board brings Nelson's sacrifice into sharper focus.

The Soldier’s Medal was established by Act of Congress in of July 1926 and is awarded to any person of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, including members of the Army Reserves not serving in a duty status at the time of the heroic act, who distinguished himself or herself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy.

That extraordinary act must have resulted in an accomplishment so exceptional and outstanding as to clearly set the individual apart from his or her comrades or from other persons in similar circumstances and the heroism must have involved a clearly recognizable personal hazard or danger and the voluntary risk of life under conditions not involving conflict with an armed enemy.

The full nomination document, which can be found here, not only cites Nelson's sacrifice for this child, but his service to the nation, his school, his family, his peers and his community. The resolution was sent to The United States Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper, and a copy was sent to:

• President of the United States Donald J. Trump,
• Acting United States Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan
• Under Secretary of the Army Ryan D. McCarthy
• Chief of Staff of the US Army General Mark A. Milley
• Vice Chief of Staff General James McConville
• United States Senator Robert Menendez
• United States Senator Cory Booker
• Congressman Tomasz Malinowski
• New Jersey Governor Philip Murphy
• NJ Senate President Steven Sweeney
• NJ Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr.
• NJ Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin
• NJ Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick
• NJ Assembly Woman Nancy Munoz

The resolution was also entered into the permanent records of the Board of Education, in the Town of Westfield, New Jersey.

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