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| Naval Awards Manual | |
|---|---|
| Name | Naval Awards Manual |
| Type | Manual |
| Subject | Awards and Decorations |
| Publisher | Department of the Navy |
| Country | United States |
| First published | 20th century |
Naval Awards Manual is an official Department of the Navy publication that codifies policies for awarding decorations, medals, ribbons, and badges within the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. It interfaces with issuances from the Secretary of the Navy, directives from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and statutory provisions such as the United States Code provisions on military awards. The manual informs practices across major installations like Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Base San Diego, and operational commands including United States Fleet Forces Command and United States Pacific Fleet.
The manual traces lineage to early 20th-century Navy administrative circulars issued by the Bureau of Navigation and the Bureau of Personnel (BUPERS), evolved through World War I and World War II policy updates influenced by actions at Battle of Midway, Battle of the Coral Sea, and the Guadalcanal Campaign. Postwar reorganizations tied content to directives from the Secretary of Defense during the Goldwater–Nichols Act era and were affected by precedent from the Purple Heart revival and the expansion of awards after the Vietnam War. Cold War incidents such as the Cuban Missile Crisis and operations during the Gulf War prompted revisions coordinating with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Pentagon. Modern editions reflect lessons from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and incorporate guidance from the Naval History and Heritage Command and the Chief of Naval Operations.
The manual defines criteria for decorations like the Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Medal (United States), Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, and campaign awards tied to operations such as Operation Desert Storm and Operation Inherent Resolve. It prescribes eligibility for personnel assigned to commands including United States Marine Corps Forces Command, Naval Special Warfare Command, Carrier Strike Group 1, and numbered fleets like Third Fleet and Seventh Fleet. The manual aligns award practice with statutes in the United States Code and orders from the President of the United States, as well as service regulations such as Naval Personnel Command instructions and Marine Corps Orders.
Categories include valor awards (e.g., Medal of Honor, Navy Cross), distinguished service awards (e.g., Distinguished Service Medal (United States), Legion of Merit), personal awards (e.g., Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal), unit awards (e.g., Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation), campaign medals (e.g., World War II Victory Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal), and non-combat awards such as the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and service-specific badges like the Surface Warfare Officer insignia and Naval Aviator wings. Criteria reference actions in theaters like Pacific Theater of World War II, European Theater (World War II), and engagements such as the Leyte Gulf battles, as well as peacetime contributions tied to commands like Naval Sea Systems Command and institutions such as United States Naval Academy.
Recommendation procedures invoke chain-of-command authorities from commanding officers aboard vessels such as USS Enterprise (CVN-65), amphibious ships like USS Wasp (LHD-1), and Marine Expeditionary Units including 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. Approval authorities range from unit commanders to the Secretary of the Navy and the President of the United States for the highest decorations. The process interacts with boards like the Board for Correction of Naval Records and agencies including the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency when substantiating actions tied to awards from events such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Administrative appeals may reference decisions by the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and guidance from the Judge Advocate General's Corps.
Regulations govern wear on uniforms prescribed by Navy Uniform Regulations and Marine Corps Uniform Regulations for service dress worn at ceremonies at venues like The Pentagon, Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, and Pearl Harbor. The manual details order of precedence for awards including the Medal of Honor, campaign medals like the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and foreign decorations authorized by the Secretary of Defense or through bilateral agreements with states such as United Kingdom, France, and Australia. It addresses display in museums like the National Museum of the United States Navy and at memorials including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and procedures for lost or stolen decorations coordinated with entities like the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Revision cycles are coordinated among offices including the Bureau of Naval Personnel, the Chief of Naval Personnel, the Chief of Naval Operations, and interagency stakeholders such as the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Major revisions historically followed conflicts like World War II, the Korean War, and Global War on Terrorism operations, and involve legal review by the Judge Advocate General's Corps and concurrence with Congress when legislative changes affect entitlements. Publication and distribution occur through channels like Naval Publications and Forms Center and are promulgated to commands ranging from Amphibious Group staffs to shore installations such as Naval Air Station Pensacola.
The manual cross-references awards and devices of sister services including the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Cross, and the Coast Guard Medal, and aligns policies for exchange with allied award systems such as the Order of the British Empire, the Légion d'honneur, and the Order of Australia when service members receive foreign honors during coalitions like NATO operations and multinational efforts during Operation Unified Protector. Interservice coordination involves offices like the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Department of the Army, and Department of the Air Force for reciprocal recognition and precedence during joint ceremonies at commands such as United States Central Command and United States European Command.