NJIT President Receives Air Force Public Service Medal

At a ceremony in Washington, D.C., NJIT President Joel S. Bloom was presented with the highest level award granted by the Secretary of the Air Force to a non-employee civilian, the Distinguished Public Service Award.

The award is presented to those who have personally made a profound contribution on the national level that represents substantial progress to the Air Force mission. 

Working with the Chief of the Air Force, Air Force leadership and fellow civic leaders, Dr. Bloom advocated for ROTC programs, advised on workforce development, innovation, legislative and community relations, and public communications.

"The Air Force leaders are highly intelligent, hard-working patriots who are dedicated to our national security through deterrence, excellence and innovation in the domains of air space, cyber space, and outer space. The newly developing Space Force is within the Department of the Air Force. Our national security is increasingly at risk within these domains," stated Dr. Bloom.

Civic leaders participate in meetings in Washington, D.C., nationally and internationally at Air Force bases, and receive daily electronic briefings of actions and issues of the Air Force.  Completing his four year term, Dr. Bloom was awarded the Distinguished Public Service Award and given emeritus status to continue to advocate for and advise the Air Force.