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Gabrielle Giffords Receives Army Decoration For Distinguished Civilian Service

Giffords Gets Big Award: 'Be Passionate. Be Courageous. Be Your Best.'
By 

Associate Politics Editor, The Huffington Post

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FILE - Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords talks to supporters before she and husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, take part in a parade in Northside, a suburb of Cincinnati, in this July 4, 2013 file photo. Giffords, who survived an assassination attempt in 2011, is set to tour a New York gun show, the first such visit since she was shot.Giffords and husband Mark Kelly, a former combat pilot and astronaut, are scheduled to be with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman at the Saratoga Springs Arms Fair on Sunday Oct. 13, 2013 to highlight a voluntary agreement and stricter state gun control law. (AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)

Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) received the Army Decoration for Distinguished Civilian Service Thursday at the Pentagon. The award serves to honor those who have made significant contributions toward fulfilling the Army's mission.

"Gabby continues to be a great inspiration and a role model for her community, her state, the Army, the American people and members of Congress," said Under Secretary of the Army Joseph Westphal, who presented Giffords with the award Oct. 10. "She cared about soldiers and their families and worked hard on their behalf."

Giffords was honored for her efforts as a congresswoman to secure funding for the Army's modernization projects, including her influential role developing renewable energy at military installations through the 2011 Giffords-Udall Department of Defense Energy Security Act. Westphal also commended Giffords' dedication to passing legislation like the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Care Tax Credit, which worked to alleviate service members' tax hardships. She additionally supported legislation aimed at aiding soldiers suffering from traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Giffords herself survived an assassination attempt in Jan. 2011 in which she sustained a critical head injury. Despite her continued recovery and resignation from Congress, Giffords' commitment to the Army has not wavered, Westphal said.

"My spirit is as strong as ever. I'm still fighting to make the world a better place," Giffords said after receiving the award. "You too can make this world a better place. Be passionate. Be Courageous. Be your best."

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Before You Go

Gabrielle Giffords' Road To Recovery
Open Your Eyes (Snow Patrol)(01 of10)
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(Jan. 8, 2011) -- Four days after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) was wounded in a grisly shooting, President Barack Obama informed memorial service members that she opened her eyes for the first time. "I can tell you this," Obama said. "She knows we're here and she knows we love her and she knows that we will be rooting for her throughout what will be a difficult journey." (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) (credit:AP)
Stand (Rascal Flatts) (02 of10)
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(Jan. 19, 2011) -- Outside the University of Arizona's Medical Center, a decorated paper plate offered well wishes for the Tucson shooting victims. With assistance from doctors, Giffords stood on her own two feet for the first time since the incident. The congresswoman was soon transferred to TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital in Houston, one of the top-rated rehab facilities in the country. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan) (credit:AP)
Stand By Me (Ben E. King)(03 of10)
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(May 16, 2011) -- In this Feb. 2011 file photo, Giffords' husband Mark Kelly held a wrist band decorated with a peace sign, heart and the word 'Gabby'. By mid-May, Giffords was watching Kelly fly off into space on NASA's Endeavour expedition. The couple exchanged their wedding rings before takeoff. (Photo by Eric Kayne/Getty Images)
Fighter (Christina Aguilera) (04 of10)
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(June 28, 2011) -- Giffords made her first public appearance since being wounded in the Jan. 2011 shooting, attending a ceremony at Texas' Space Center Houston with Kelly. She received a standing ovation from the crowd. (AP Photo/southwestphotobank.com, P.K. Weis) (credit:AP File)
You're The Inspiration (Chicago) (05 of10)
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(Aug. 1, 2011) -- Giffords completed her first House floor appearance since the shooting, attending a vote on the debt ceiling. "The reaction in the chamber was the most enthusiastic, exuberant, exhilarating -- I mean we were all crying -- thrilled -- you know, we just knew she would make a triumphant return," Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said. (AP Photo/House Television) (credit:AP)
Don't Stop (Fleetwood Mac) (06 of10)
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(Aug. 30, 2011) -- Via a Giffords spokesperson, the Associated Press learned that less than eight months after being wounded, the congresswoman was walking and writing on her own. (Photo by P.K. Weis/Giffords Campaign via Getty Images) (credit:Getty File )
I Didn't Know My Own Strength (Whitney Houston) (07 of10)
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(Nov. 10, 2011) -- Giffords' first TV interview since the shooting went to ABC News. The congresswoman answered questions with a clear voice, telling host Diane Sawyer that she felt "pretty good." Giffords added that the recovery had been "difficult." (credit:ABC)
It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday (Boyz II Men)(08 of10)
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(Jan. 22, 2012) -- A little more than a year after the shooting, Giffords announced that she was leaving Congress. In a Facebook video, she cited her recovery as a primary concern, thanking her constituents for their support: "I don't remember much from that horrible day, but I will never forget the trust you placed in me to be your voice," Giffords said. (AP Photo/Office of Gabrielle Giffords) (credit:AP)
I Can See Clearly Now (Johnny Nash) (09 of10)
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(Jan. 24, 2012) -- Two days before exiting Congress, Giffords unveiled her final bill, aimed at stopping cross-border drug smugglers. "Congresswoman Giffords is committed to taking this crucial step that would help secure the border against drug smugglers," Giffords' chief of staff, Pia Carusone, said in a statement. "That's why she decided this would be the last bill she introduces before she steps down." (Photo by Jonathan Gibby/Getty Images) (credit:Getty File)
Hero (Mariah Carey) (10 of10)
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(Jan. 24, 2012) -- Giffords made a moving appearance at Obama's 2012 State of the Union address. Her presence drew rousing applause, inspiring colleagues on both sides of the aisle. (Photo by Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images) (credit:Getty )
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