NCO named winner of 2020 GEICO Military Service Award

By COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, U.S. Army Combat Readiness CenterFebruary 24, 2021

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An Army noncommissioned officer was recently named as recipient of the 2020 GEICO Military Service Award.

The selection of Master Sgt. Johann G. Herzog, an Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps senior military science instructor at Virginia Polytechnic and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, was announced by Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston.

During 2020, Herzog reached an audience of more than 2,000 initial-entry and nearly 1,300 active-duty Soldiers through tailored drug and alcohol abuse prevention courses. Curriculum included tips for identifying drug and alcohol dependency within their units, along with methods to mitigate existing issues and prevent future occurrences. According to Grinston, Herzog’s efforts heightened awareness and armed leaders and Soldiers with the skills necessary to combat addiction across their span of influence.

Herzog also conducts numerous outreach events in his local community, including a “Just Say No” program for Girl Scouts.

The GEICO Military Service Awards program honors one enlisted member from each military service branch and one member from the National Guard/Reserve for his or her special achievements and contributions to the public good, both civilian and military. The achievements or contributions may be made in any of the following areas:

  • Drug and alcohol abuse prevention
  • Fire safety and fire prevention
  • Traffic safety and accident prevention

Herzog and the remaining recipients will be recognized at an awards ceremony this spring in Washington, D.C. Each recipient will receive a plaque and $2,500 cash from the GEICO Philanthropic Foundation.

For more information, visit https://safety.army.mil.