Can the existing distinguished service medals categories be expanded or a new category be added? [closed]

Question

None of the three existing categories apply to Hannah Paterson who received a civilian Distinguished Service Metal in WW I. One of the categories is only for those who served in the military and the other two categories are for metals created later in time.

Can the scope of the existing categories be expanded or a new category be created?

[[Category:Distinguished Service Medal]]

[[Category:Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal]]

[[Category:Defense Distinguished Service Medal]]

Comments

Why is a new category necessary?  She was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal.  The medal itself fits an existing category; what is unusual is that the recipient was a civilian.  So I suppose the new category would be "Civilian Recipients of the Army Distinguished Service Medal."  It would be useful to know just how unusual such awards are.  This may be a unique case.

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Expanding the existing army category to include civilian awardees is a simple solution so a new category would not be needed.

The existing category text indicates:

"The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility. The performance must be such as to merit recognition for service that is clearly exceptional. Exceptional performance of normal duty will not alone justify an award of this decoration."

Hannah, never served in the military. Perhaps the individual who created the category may not have realized that civilians can also receive the awards.

Language could be added to the existing Army category to indicate that "The DSM can also be awarded to civilian awardees who provided exceptionally meritoriously service to the Government." unless there is a desire for separate categories to recognize military vis-à-vis civilian recipients.

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Here is a document that lists the various metals that have been awarded -  https://homeofheroes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Major-Military-Award-Recipients-ALL-0322.pdf

For Hannah, see page 409:

(C) Patterson, Hannah J., Council of National Defense - Awarded: DSM-A - World War I

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In the mid 1970s medals for Distinguished Defense Civilian Service were established for civilian employees of the Office of the Secretary of Defense and of each of the Military Departments.  There also is The President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service.  I expect since then these medals have taken the place for civilians of the DSM.