LEGION D’HONNEUR

The HMGS Legion of Honor was established by the HMGS, Inc. Board of Directors in 1995 specifically to provide a means by which the recipient of the Society’s lifetime achievement award, the Jack Scruby Award, might be chosen every other year. As such it was thought that members of the Legion should also be chosen for their distinguished service to the hobby if they were to act as electors for such an important process. Thus today the Legion acts as a self-electing honor society that not only decides the Scruby recipient, but also serves as a source of inspiration and achievement to which all miniature hobbyists might aspire. Currently the Legion may select up to two new members per year, and may select a Scruby awardee every other year.

The Legion has its own bylaws, Commandant and Adjutant, while the President of HMGS serves as the Liaison to the Legion. The Board also provides minimal, on request funding to the Legion, normally supporting the Scruby Award Banquet in odd-numbered years and a supply of miniature medals every decade or so. Currently informal discussions are underway to allow the Legion a more practical and visible part of Chapter life, perhaps as executive agent for some industry based awards.

MEMBERSHIP IN THE LEGION OF HONOR

Members of the Legion receive a certificate, a miniature French Legion of Honor medal and a lifetime membership in HMGS.
Click here to see the Legion Members.

The recipient of the Jack Scruby award receive a plaque and also receives membership in the Legion if he or she is not already a member.

THE FRENCH LEGION D’HONNEUR

The name “Legion of Honor” was chosen for two reasons. First was its connection to Napoleon I, one of history’s greatest captains and founder of the French military award. Second was the award’s status as the first modern decoration awarded purely for achievement, to anyone who had done something meritorious, and not because of title, social status or parentage. It was yet another manifestation of why every French soldier carried a marshal’s baton in his knapsack. Note the following extract on the subject from Wikipedia.