It’s not short for “professor”, a proffer is one who stands by with awards or certificates and hands them to the presenter.
In the U.S. Air Force and other branches that follow similar protocol the term for the individual who assists the presenter during a formal military award or retirement ceremony is called the Proffer.
Their role. The following is done to ensure the ceremony flows smoothly and is highly professional and dignified.
- The individual is positioned near the stage or presenting official.
- Is not supposed to blend into the ceremony with seamless presentation(s).
- Safeguards the award (medal, ribbon, plaque, certificate, retirement flag, flowers, etc.) until the moment of presentation.
- Upon the narrator’s cue, the proffer retrieves the item to be presented, moves to the presenter, hands the item to the presiding official (the presenter, usually to his right), and then moves away from the presentation unless other items are in the proffer’s hands.
- The proffer can pick up a cushion that holds a certificate and then a medal on top of the certificate.
- The proffer should make every effort to not be in award photos and be at the rear and off to the side.
This role is a key part of military protocol for formal ceremonies.
The Connection to the Word’s Original Meaning
In the civilian community, it is a legal term. For the government/military (at least the USAF) the term is used because of the verb’s original, non-legal definition:
It’s a very literal and direct application of the word’s meaning, distinct from the legal use (where a lawyer “proffers” evidence or testimony). The word proffer comes from the Old French proffrir, and its core meaning is “to offer,” “to hold out,” or “to put before a person for acceptance.”
- To Offer: In a military ceremony, the person’s entire duty is to offer the award or certificate to the presenting official at the precise, dignified moment. They literally “proffer” the item.
- Official Use of the Verb: Search results actually confirm that the military uses the verb “proffer” in relation to awards. One snippet mentions: “Foreign government representatives typically notify senior U.S. Government representatives in advance of the intent to proffer an award or decoration to an individual service member.1“
1DoDI 1348.33, DoD Military Decorations and Awards Program. You can download this instruction from the Resources page.
So, the individual who performs the act of proffering the award to the presenter is simply referred to by a noun form of the action they perform: the Proffer.
The image above of the Airman proffer is AI generated, but illustrates my description of a proffer with a cushion.