The Ralph E. Lingert Service Award represents the highest award that can be given by the National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association. It is a lifetime achievement award named in honor of Past National President and Financial Secretary Ralph E. Lingert. It shall be presented annually to the National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association member who is deemed to have shown the type of devotion to duty and Steadfast and Loyal dedication to the National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association that was found to be synonymous with the name Ralph E. Lingert. The recipients will be announced and the award presented at the National Reunion banquet each year.

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Qualifications

1. Candidate must be a member in good standing for a minimum of three years immediately preceding his/her nomination.
2. Past recipients may be nominated.

Nominations

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1. Any member of the Association in good standing may nominate a candidate.
2. Any Chapter (with the concurrence of the Chapter President) may nominate a candidate.
3. Nominations must be in writing outlining the candidate's outstanding accomplishments as to the development, perpetuation and service to his/her Chapter and/or the National 4th Infantry (IVY) Division Association.
4. Each member and/or Chapter may only make one nomination per year.
5. Nominations must be mailed or E-mailed to the Executive Director, for review and selection by the Executive Board. All nominations must be received by April 15th each year.

Selections

1. The Executive Director will submit all valid nominations to the Executive Board for review. The Executive Board will select the recipient from the valid nominations received. Any member of the Executive Board whose name is placed in nomination shall exclude himself/herself from the entire selection process. Selection of the recipient must be made by June 1st each year, or a minimum of 30 days prior to the National Reunion (whichever is sooner).

Award

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1. At the National Reunion banquet, the recipient will be announced and presented with a plaque bearing his/her name and appropriate wording.
2. In the event that the recipient is not in attendance at the National Reunion banquet, the announcement will still be made and the plaque will be mailed to the recipient.
3. A perpetual plaque is on display at the 4th Infantry Division Museum bearing the names of all recipients of the Ralph E. Lingert Service Award.
The decision of the Executive Board is final. After the selection process has been completed, all non selected nominations will be voided. Nominations will not carry over from year to year. Discretionary changes of an emergency nature may be made to these guidelines as needed with the approval of a majority of the Executive Board.

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Ralph E. Lingert Service Award Recipients

1997 Earl H. Kohlberger – Achievements in membership recruitment over many years.

1998 James D. Roan – Service to the Association.

1999 Francis X. Bradley – Past National President, longtime IVY LEAVES editor and Chapter officer.

2000 Rev. George W. Knapp – Association Chaplain for many years.

2000 Richard A. Sover – Past National President, long time Illinois Chapter Treasurer.

2001 Paul E. Brunelle – Past National President, long time National Archivist.

2001 Gerhard O. Gramp – Past National President, Arlington Monument Fund Treasurer.

2002 Elmer J. Klaus – Past National President, Chapter Treasurer and National Reunion Chairman.

2002 Leo S. Jereb – Past National President, Association Goodwill Ambassador for many years.

2003 Roger S. Barton – Past Executive Director, Financial Secretary and  IVY LEAVES editor.

2003 Joseph E. Motil – Past National President and Lehigh Valley Chapter Treasurer.

2004 Robert O. Babcock – Past National President, Historian and liason to the 4ID.

2005 Wayne A. Brown – National Treasurer for many years and member of many National Committees.

2006 Tallie J. Crocker – National Scholarship Fund Secretary, Charter member the Carolinas Chapter.

2007 Gerry W. Howard – Past National President, chairman of the Monument Committee

2008 Gregory A. Rollinger – Past Ivy Leaves Editor and Executive Director.

2009 Raymond H. Dunkel – Past National President.  Treasurer of the Ohio Chapter.

2010 David H. McNerney – Honorary National President and a true American hero.

2011 Richard J. Adams – Past National President and many National and Chapter offices

2012 Roger R. Dufek – Past National President and many National and Chapter offices.

2013 Raymond A. Harton – Founding member of the Spotswood DeWitt chapter.

2013 D. Bruce Gass – Past National President and many National and Chapter offices.  

2014 Donald E. Kelby – Executive Director and held many National and Chapter offices.

2015 Alexander J. Cooker – Past National President and secretary of the Scholarship committee.

2015 Michael P. May – Judge Advocate / Parliamentarian and Chapter officer

2016 Herbert Shore – National Vice President – WWII / Cold War Era

2016 Glen A. Armstrong – Ivy Leaves Editor; National Vice President – Communication

2017 Richard W. Bolin – National Sergeant-at-Arms, Chapter officer.

2018 Philip M. Menendez – Past National President, Chapter Officer and Scholarship Committee Secretary.

2019 Bert C. Nicholson – Chairman of the Memorial Committee and past Illinois Chapter Treasurer

2019 Albert ‘Swede’ Ekstrom – Serves as National Reunion DJ and active as a member recruiter

2020 Jerry N. Bumpus – Two-term National President with steady leadership of the Association

2020 Richard J. Adams – Second award, VP Planning, Past National President, Past National Treasurer

2021 Stephen N. Edmunds – Longtime Leader of the Ivy Dragoons chapter and Missions to Vietnam

2022 Donald E. Kelby – Second award, Executive Director and held many National and Chapter offices

2023 Charles ‘Skip’ Cole – Longtime Leader of the Ohio chapter and Community Volunteer

2024 Albert E. Downs – Longtime Leader of the Redlegs chapter and member recruiting

2024 James A. ‘Mac’ McCarthy – Refocused the Association’s finances and leader of the Ivy Dragoons Chapter