Air Force Decorations and Memorials Board
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| Air Force Decorations and Memorials Board | |
|---|---|
| Name | Air Force Decorations and Memorials Board |
| Formation | 1948 |
| Type | Advisory board |
| Headquarters | The Pentagon |
| Parent organization | United States Air Force |
Air Force Decorations and Memorials Board The Air Force Decorations and Memorials Board advises senior Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force leadership on awards, decorations, burial honors, and memorials for personnel and heritage related to United States Air Force history. It operates at the intersection of policy set by Department of Defense, operational practice of Air Combat Command, institutional heritage from Air Force Historical Research Agency, and ceremonial guidance linked to United States Air Force Academy. The board's work affects recognition tied to campaigns such as the Korean War, Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Enduring Freedom.
History
The board traces origins to post‑World War II reforms in recognition policy after the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate service in 1947, inheriting precedents from the United States Army Air Forces and coordination roles once held by the Secretary of War. Early boards standardized decorations aligned with the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Air Medal, responding to lessons from the Battle of Britain air campaigns and Cold War deterrence incidents like the Berlin Airlift. Throughout the Korean War and Vietnam War eras the board adjudicated service awards amidst evolving rules from the Armed Forces Personnel Security Act era and later adapted to post‑9/11 conflicts including Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Institutional controversies arose during transitions such as the creation of the National Museum of the United States Air Force and disputes involving monuments at Arlington National Cemetery.
Mission and Responsibilities
The board's charter directs it to review proposals related to the Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, and service‑specific devices; to recommend approval, modification, or disapproval; and to guide commemorative projects involving sites like Tomb of the Unknown Soldier adjacent areas and installations such as Andrews Air Force Base and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. It coordinates with agencies including the National Archives and Records Administration, American Battle Monuments Commission, and the National Park Service on preservation of material culture from campaigns like the Tet Offensive and Operation Rolling Thunder. The board also interfaces with veterans’ organizations such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars regarding nomination vetting and historical verification.
Organization and Membership
Membership traditionally includes senior officers from Office of the Secretary of Defense components, representatives from the Judge Advocate General's Corps, historians from the Air Force Historical Research Agency, and liaisons from commands such as Pacific Air Forces and United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. Civilian appointees have included curators associated with the Smithsonian Institution and scholars linked to universities like United States Air Force Academy faculty, Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, and Harvard University military history departments. The board reports recommendations through the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) chain and coordinates with the Office of the Secretary of Defense for awards requiring civilian review or statutory waiver.
Awards and Decorations Reviewed
The board routinely reviews cases involving decoration criteria for the Distinguished Service Cross (when joint considerations exist), Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, and service ribbons such as the Air Force Commendation Medal and Air Force Achievement Medal. It evaluates devices like the oak leaf cluster, valor device, and campaign stars associated with operations including Operation Allied Force and Operation Inherent Resolve. The board also adjudicates posthumous awards and upgrades, referencing precedent cases such as upgrade reviews connected to Tuskegee Airmen recognition and corrective actions related to discriminatory practices addressed during the Civil Rights Movement.
Memorials and Monuments Oversight
The board provides policy guidance for naming facilities, erecting monuments, and approving plaques at locations from Arlington National Cemetery to base honor courts at Langley Air Force Base and Nellis Air Force Base. It assesses proposals for memorials tied to events such as the Khobar Towers bombing, Pan Am Flight 103 bombing, and Space Shuttle Challenger casualties when Air Force personnel are affected. Coordination extends to external bodies like the National Capital Planning Commission and stakeholders including families, veterans groups, and historical societies such as the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Procedures and Decision-Making Process
Procedural rules require comprehensive packets including service records, eyewitness statements, mission reports, and historical context from entities like the Air Force Historical Research Agency and National Archives and Records Administration. Meetings follow rules of engagement established in directives from the Secretary of the Air Force and incorporate legal review by the Judge Advocate General's Corps. The board uses precedents grounded in cases reviewed by the Department of Defense Medal of Honor Review Board and consults operational commanders from Air Mobility Command or Air Combat Command as required before forwarding recommendations for final approval by the Secretary or by Congress when statutory authority is implicated.
Notable Decisions and Controversies
High‑profile decisions have included recommendations for awards related to actions in Operation Anaconda and deliberations over recognition of crew actions from incidents like the Kharkiv Airlift—with public disputes occasionally involving members of Congress from committees such as the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee. Controversies have arisen over perceived delays in upgrading awards for groups such as the Tuskegee Airmen and debates on memorial placement that engaged organizations like the National Trust for Historic Preservation and media outlets including The New York Times and The Washington Post. Legal challenges and Congressional inquiries have at times prompted revisions to board procedures and transparency measures overseen by the Inspector General of the Department of the Air Force.