The Widder Award was first awarded in 1967. From the 1966-1967 Guidon:
- This award was established to recognize military virtue. It is awarded to the outstanding military cadet selected by newly-designated Distinguished Military Students each year. The award memorializes the late Capt. David J. W. Widder, Citadel class of 1959, who was killed March 24, 1965 in Vietnam.
Today, the award r
ecognizes the distinguished military student in the Army ROTC who has best exhibited the qualities of devotion to duty, exemplary conduct, military and academic excellence and unquestionable character.
The gold medal has three different men in profile embossed on the obverse. The reverse is embossed with "Exemplified Military Virtue The Citadel." The medal is suspended from a red, white and blue ribbon and top bar is embossed with "Widder Award."