United States Army decorations and medals

United States Army decorations and medals
Name	United States Army decorations and medals
Established	1775
Presenter	Department of the Army
Type	Military awards

Contents

United States Army decorations and medals are the system of formal honors used by the United States Army to recognize service, valor, achievement, and meritorious conduct by soldiers, units, and civilians. The system has evolved through conflicts such as the American Revolutionary War, the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and it interfaces with awards from the United States Department of Defense, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, and the United States Marine Corps.

Overview and History

The origins trace to early honors like the Badge of Military Merit and later to the establishment of the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War and the creation of modern systems after World War I and World War II when the Secretariat of the Army and the War Department standardized decorations, incorporating designs influenced by heraldry from the Order of the Bath, the Legion of Honor, and the Order of the Garter. Reforms in the administrations of Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower adjusted criteria, while later legislation such as provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act and directives from the Secretary of the Army refined precedence and eligibility, reflecting operational lessons from campaigns including the Battle of Gettysburg, Normandy landings, and the Tet Offensive.

Awards are grouped into categories: personal decorations like the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross, service medals like the Army Good Conduct Medal, campaign medals such as the Iraq Campaign Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, unit awards including the Valorous Unit Award and the Meritorious Unit Commendation, and badges and tabs like the Combat Infantryman Badge, Ranger Tab, and Special Forces Tab. The order of precedence is promulgated by the Office of the Secretary of the Army and aligns with Department of Defense precedence guidance, determining placement relative to decorations awarded by allied nations such as those of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada.

Prominent individual decorations include the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Service Medal (Army), the Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart. Achievement and commendation levels include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal. Campaign and service recognitions include the World War I Victory Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Badges and tabs such as the Air Assault Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Combat Action Badge, and the Expert Infantryman Badge signify qualification, while foreign decorations like the French Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 and the Order of the British Empire have been accepted under regulations for allied awards.

Eligibility criteria derive from statutory law, regulations issued by the Department of the Army, and policy memoranda from the Chief of Staff of the Army; standards vary by award, with the Medal of Honor requiring conspicuous gallantry under fire, the Distinguished Service Cross requiring extraordinary heroism, and the Purple Heart recognizing wounds received in action. Awards may be conferred on active duty soldiers, reservists, National Guard members under state or federal orders such as Title 32 of the United States Code activations, and eligible civilians or foreign personnel under rules codified by the Secretary of the Army and coordinated with the Department of Defense and allied commands like NATO.

Uniform wear is governed by Army uniform regulations issued by the Adjutant General of the Army and directives from the Army G-1 and the Army Human Resources Command; these determine the arrangement of ribbons, the display of service stripes like the Overseas Service Bar, and the placement of unit awards such as the Presidential Unit Citation. Guidance addresses conversion from miniature medals to ribbon bars, precedence when multiple awards exist, and display of foreign awards approved by the Secretary of the Army or the Secretary of Defense, with separate rules for dress uniforms, combat uniforms, and civilian wear during ceremonies hosted by institutions such as the United States Military Academy and the Armed Forces Retirement Home.

Administration of awards is managed by commands, human resources offices, and boards including the Army Decorations Board and review bodies such as the Army Board for Correction of Military Records; nominations flow through chain-of-command endorsements to approval authorities like commanders, the Secretary of the Army, or, for top decorations, the President of the United States and confirmation processes in coordination with the Department of Defense Inspector General. Records are maintained in systems administered by the Defense Manpower Data Center and archived in repositories such as the National Archives and Records Administration and museum collections at the United States Army Center of Military History and the National Infantry Museum.