Distinguished Member of the Regiment Program

An honor since 1986

By Steven J. Rauch Signal Corps Branch Historian

Article published on: April 1, 2024 in the Army Communicator Spring 2024 Edition

Read Time: < 4 mins

The Signal Corps Regiment, activated on June 1, 1986, is a component of the U.S. Army Regimental System (USARS) designed "to provide each Soldier with continuous identification with a single regiment and to support that concept with a personnel system that would increase a Soldier's probability of serving recurring assignments with his or her regiment.

The USARS concept as set forth in Army Regulation 870-21 stipulates that all Soldiers, with certain excep- tions, will be affiliated with a regiment of some type. Under the system, combat support and combat service support branches (Chemical, Military Intelligence, Military Police, Cyber, Signal, etc.) operate on a whole branch concept as a corps, but also assume the traditions of a regiment. Soldiers are automatically affiliated with their corps and regiment upon graduation from Initial Entry Training.

One hallmark of the USARS is to link the past with the present by using special awards and honors. One of those awards is the Distinguished Member of the Regiment (DMR) that recognizes individuals who have significantly contributed to the promotion of the Signal Corps Regiment in ways that stand out, usually spanning years and decades of service.

A DMR recipient must have demonstrated the highest standards of integrity and moral character, displayed an outstanding degree of professional competence, and served the U.S. Army Signal Corps with distinction. Once appointed, a DMR recipient has the duty to perpetuate the history and traditions of the Signal Corps Regiment, thereby enhancing unit morale and esprit. DMRs are expected to continue to serve by mentoring signal Soldiers, officers, and warrant officers such as serving as speakers at graduation ceremonies, promotions, leader development programs, and other Signal Corps Regimental functions.

For almost 40 years since 1986 to date, there have been only 171 individuals who have been awarded this rare and special honor. In some years, no nominees were offered for consideration.

One category of recipient has been former chief signal officers (or chiefs of Signal), of which there have been 42 in history, but only 12 have been awarded the honor of DMR. Other recipients include the five Medal of Honor awardees: Pvt. Morgan D. Lane, Maj. Gen. Charles E. Kilbourne, Jr., Sgt. Will Croft Barnes, Maj. Gen. Adolphus W. Greely, and Col. Gordon Johnston, who were selected in the late 1990s. Other historical inductees have included those associated with photography, motion pictures, science and inven- tion, training, signal history, and aviation. Former Georgia Senator Max Cleland, a signal officer and triple amputee during the Vietnam War, was given the honor in 1997. Most of the awardees, however, have been long-serving officers, warrant officers, NCOs, and Soldiers who had dedicated decades of their lives to the Signal Corps Regiment.

The Office Chief of Signal (OCoS) is responsible for managing and executing the DMR program for the chief of signal and holds a section panel to vote nomi- nations annually. The current standard operating procedure approved by the Chief of Signal provides the specifics about the program.

Selection Panel

The selection panel is comprised of enduring and rotating positions representative of the greater Signal Corps community but may be adjusted at the discretion of the chief of signal. Selection panel members may not submit DMR nominations. The DMR Selection panel is comprised of the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Command (NETCOM) commander; regimental chief warrant; regimental command sergeant major; Headquarters, Department of the Army deputy chief of staff and sergeant major; and U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) command sergeant major. In addition, three general officers and one Distinguished Member of the Regiment serve on the panel.

Selection Process

A senior NCO attends the 2023 DMR Induction ceremony. (Photo by Laura Levering, U.S. Army Signal School)

Any member of the Signal Regiment may submit a DMR nomination at any time throughout the year, however, the chief of Signal may establish cutoff dates to facilitate DMR presentations at specific events, such as the annual Signal Regimental Ball. The DMR selection process does not limit or cap total selections of nominees within each occurrence. Only on DMR panel will be held each year. If a nomination does not meet the current year's established cutoff date, the chief of Signal may consider the nomination eligible during the next DMR selection window.

OCos maintains all documentation pertinent to each annual DMR nomination and selection process. Once the selection panel has completed the voting process, the Chief of Signal makes a final determination of each nomination. The chief of Signal had full authority to accept or reject panel votes for all nomination packets.

The selection panel will evaluate DMR files utilizing an "Induct" or "Not Induct" vote. Nominees must receive at least two-thirds "Induct" votes from the selection panel members to be recommended to the chiefs of Signal for final approval. The chief of Signal will review the nominations recommended by the selection panel and make a final decision.

DMR Eligibility Requirements

1. Retired officers, warrant officers, and Soldiers (regardless of component) who were members of the Signal Regiment.
2. Retired Functional Area (FA) 26 (formerly FA 24 and FA 53) officers who officially affiliated with the Signal Regiment.
3. Retired Department of Army (DA) civilians who served in Career Program (CP) 34.
4. Retired DA (regardless of career field) who worked for a Signal Regiment organization for over 10 years.
5. DMRs may be inducted posthumously.

Nomination Packets Must Include:

1. Signed nomination memorandum containing contact information for both nominee and nominator.
2. Detailed nomination/justification memorandum, no more than two double-spaced pages. Memorandum should speak directly to significant contributions that truly impact the Signal Regiment.
3. Summarized biography addressing the nominee’s entire period of service to the Signal Regiment.
4. High resolution 8-by-10-inch digital photograph.

Regimental Command Sgt. Maj. Linwood Barrett speaks to an audience during the 2023 DMR Induction ceremony held in Grovetown, Georgia, on June 24, 2023. (Photo by Laura Levering, U.S. Army Signal School)