Airman's Medal

Airman's Medal. It is a military decoration of the United States Department of the Air Force awarded to members of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force for heroic acts in non-combat situations. Established in 1960, it recognizes voluntary risk of life in saving or attempting to save another person. The award holds equivalent precedence to the Soldier's Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, and Coast Guard Medal within their respective services.

History and establishment

The medal was established by an act of the United States Congress on July 6, 1960, under Public Law 86-593. Its creation filled a need within the newly independent United States Air Force, which had been established as a separate branch from the United States Army by the National Security Act of 1947. Prior to its establishment, Air Force personnel were eligible for the Soldier's Medal for acts of heroism. The first awards were presented in 1961, with eligibility later extended to members of allied foreign militaries under specific agreements. The establishment paralleled similar non-combat heroism awards in the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps.

Award criteria

The primary criterion is the voluntary performance of a heroic act involving the risk of one's own life, not involving actual armed conflict with an enemy of the United States. The act must be performed with conspicuous courage and must have involved a clear and present danger. Examples include rescuing individuals from burning aircraft, submerged vehicles, or collapsing structures. The act must be substantiated by eyewitness testimony or incontrovertible evidence and is subject to rigorous review by the United States Department of the Air Force's awards boards. Approval authority typically rests with major command commanders or higher.

Design and appearance

The medal's circular bronze design features an eagle with raised wings, clutching lightning bolts, superimposed over a cloud formation. This central motif is surrounded by a stylized laurel wreath. The reverse bears the inscription "AIRMAN'S MEDAL" along the top edge and "FOR VALOR" in the center, with space for the recipient's name below. The ribbon is 1 3/8 inches wide, consisting of a central pattern of alternating thin stripes of Ultramarine Blue and Golden Yellow, flanked on each side by wider bands of Ultramarine Blue. The colors are derived from the United States Air Force seal.

Notable recipients

Notable recipients include General Merrill A. McPeak, a former Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, who received it for rescuing a woman from a submerged car in 1968. Colonel James H. Kasler, a highly decorated Vietnam War pilot and prisoner of war, was also a recipient. Technical Sergeant John A. Chapman was posthumously awarded the medal for heroism during the Gulf War prior to his later award of the Medal of Honor for actions in the Battle of Takur Ghar. Civilian recipients are rare but include individuals like firefighter Richard "Dick" L. Rutan, brother of famed pilot Dick Rutan.

Order of precedence and wear

Within the United States Air Force and United States Space Force award hierarchy, it is positioned below the Bronze Star Medal and above the Aerial Achievement Medal. It is considered the non-combat heroism peer to the Distinguished Flying Cross. When worn with other service awards, it is placed equivalently to the Soldier's Medal of the United States Army, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard Medal of the United States Coast Guard. Subsequent awards are denoted by Oak leaf cluster devices for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force.

Similar awards in other services

Each major branch of the United States Armed Forces maintains its own award for non-combat heroism. The United States Army awards the Soldier's Medal, established in 1926. The United States Navy and United States Marine Corps jointly award the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, established in 1942. The United States Coast Guard awards the Coast Guard Medal, established in 1949. The United States Department of Homeland Security awards the Department of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal for similar acts by its personnel. Among allied nations, comparable awards include the George Cross of the United Kingdom and the Cross of Valour in Canada.