U.S. Military Awards & Decorations
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U.S. Military Awards & Decorations How to Request & Replace Military Medals www.LegalHelpforVeterans.com About the Firm Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC is a law firm dedicated to assisting our Nation’s veterans receive the veterans disability compensation to which they are entitled based on their service to the country. The law firm has been assisting veterans since 1998. Our legal staff has decades of experience in dealing with medical disability matters and employs a network of medical specialists, many former military physicians, who can insure your claim has the best likelihood of success. Our staff includes former officers and enlisted personnel, health care professionals, and dedicated individuals. We have a national practice representing veterans from across the country. This representation occurs at the United States Court of Appeals for Veteran Claims, the Board of Veterans Appeals, and regional offices throughout the country. Over the years, Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC has become a trusted name in the legal community for providing legal services to veterans. Our lawyers are regularly asked by law schools, bar associations, and Veterans’ service organizations to lecture and train others to practice in this area. BRIGADIER GENERAL CAROL ANN FAUSONE Brigadier General Carol Ann Fausone (Ret.) served for 34 years with the U.S. Air Force and Michigan National Guard. As a nurse, her duty assignments took her around the country, and the world, assisting commanders with troop readiness. Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC www.legalhelpforveterans.com Phone: 248-912-3201 Email: [email protected] Table of Contents Military Awards & Decorations 1 Order of Precedence 2 Replacing Military Medals 8 Who Should I Send My Request To? 10 Next-of-Kin 12 www.legalhelpforveterans.com MILITARY AWARDS 1& DECORATIONS Defining a Military Decoration: A Military Decoration is an award, usually a medal of some sort, given to an individual as a distinctively designed mark of honor denoting heroism, or meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. Awards and decorations of the United States Military recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States Armed Forces. Together with military badges, such awards are a means to outwardly display the highlights of a service member’s career. Today military decorations include: • Orders of Chivalry • Bravery awards, in the form of a cross, star or medal on a ribbon • Distinguished service awards, in the form of a cross, star or medal on a ribbon • Campaign medals worn on a ribbon • Service medals worn on a ribbon • Awards for entire units 1 MEDALS & DECORATIONS 2ORDER OF PRECEDENCE The general order of priority: While each service has its own order of precedence, the following general rules apply to all services: • U.S. military personal decorations • U.S. military unit awards • U.S. non-military personal decorations (after unit awards in order of receipt; if from the same agency, the applicable agency precedence listing should be consulted) • U.S. non-military unit awards • U.S. military campaign awards • U.S. military service and training awards • U.S. Merchant Marine awards and non-military service awards • Foreign military personal decorations • Foreign military unit awards • Non-U.S. service awards (e.g., United Nations, NATO) • Foreign military service awards • Marksmanship awards (Navy and Coast Guard) • State awards of the National Guard (Army & Air Force) • Cold War Recognition certificate *Note: Precedence of particular awards will vary slightly among the different branches of service. 2 Ribbon/Award Name • Airman’s Medal • Coast Guard Medal PERSONAL DECORATIONS • Bronze Star Medal • Purple Heart Awarded for “Gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the Meritorious service medals call of duty” • Defense Meritorious Service Medal • Medal of Honor • Meritorious Service Medal • Air Medal Service Cross medals. Awarded for • Aerial Achievement Medal “Extraordinary heroism” • Distinguished Service Cross (Army) Commendation medals • Navy Cross • Joint Service Commendation • Air Force Cross Medal • Coast Guard Cross • Army Commendation Medal • Navy & Marine Corps Distinguished Service medals Defense Commendation Medal • Defense Distinguished Service • Air Force Commendation Medal Medal • Coast Guard Commendation • Homeland Security Distinguished Medal Service Medal • Distinguished Service Medal (Army) Achievement medals • Navy Distinguished Service Medal • Joint Service Achievement Medal • Air Force Distinguished Service • Army Achievement Medal Medal • Navy & Marine Corps Achievement • Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal Medal • Air Force Achievement Medal • Silver Star Awarded for “Gallantry in • Coast Guard Achievement Medal action” • Commandant’s Letter of • Defense Superior Service Medal Commendation • Legion of Merit • Navy & Marine Corps Combat • Distinguished Flying Cross Action Ribbon • Coast Guard Combat Action Medals for non-combat heroism Ribbon • Soldier’s Medal • Air Force Combat Action Medal • Navy and Marine Corps Medal 3 UNIT AWARDS SERVICE AWARDS Presidential Unit Citations • Prisoner of War Medal • Army & Air Force Presidential Unit • Combat Readiness Medal Citation • Outstanding Airman of the Year • Navy & Marine Corps Presidential Ribbon Unit Citation • Air Force Recognition Ribbon • Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation Good Conduct Medals • Joint Meritorious Unit Award • Army Good Conduct Medal • Army Valorous Unit Award • Navy Good Conduct Medal • Navy Unit Commendation • Air Force Good Conduct Medal • Air Force Gallant Unit Citation • Marine Corps Good Conduct • Coast Guard Unit Commendation Medal • Coast Guard Good Conduct Meritorious Unit Commendations Medal • Army Meritorious Unit Commendation Reserve decorations • Navy Meritorious Unit • Armed Forces Reserve Medal Commendation • Army Reserve Components • Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Achievement Medal • Coast Guard Meritorious Unit • Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Commendation Medal • Army Superior Unit Award • Air Reserve Forces Meritorious • Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Service Medal • Coast Guard Meritorious Team • Selected Marine Corps Reserve Commendation Medal • Coast Guard Reserve Good Efficiency Awards Conduct Medal • Navy “E” Ribbon • Air Force Organizational Excellence Expeditionary medals Award • Navy Expeditionary Medal • Coast Guard “E” Ribbon • Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal 4 CAMPAIGN & SERVICE MEDALS SERVICE &TRAINING AWARDS • Army of Occupation Medal • Army Sea Duty Ribbon • Navy Occupation Service Medal • Army Overseas Service Ribbon • National Defense Service Medal • Army Reserve Overseas Training • Antarctica Service Medal Ribbon • Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal • Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon • Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal • Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service • Vietnam Service Medal Ribbon • Southwest Asia Service Medal • Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon • Kosovo Campaign Medal • Navy Arctic Service Ribbon • Afghanistan Campaign Medal • Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon • Iraq Campaign Medal • Naval Reserve Sea Service Ribbon • Global War on Terrorism • Army Sea Duty Ribbon Expeditionary Medal • Army Overseas Service Ribbon • Global War on Terrorism Service • Army Reserve Overseas Training Medal Ribbon • Korea Defense Service Medal • Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon • Armed Forces Service Medal • Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service • Humanitarian Service Medal Ribbon • Outstanding Volunteer Service • Coast Guard Special Operations Medal Service Ribbon • Air and Space Campaign Medal • Navy Arctic Service Ribbon • Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon • Naval Reserve Sea Service Ribbon • Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon • Coast Guard Restricted Duty Ribbon • Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon • Coast Guard Overseas Service Ribbon • Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon • Air Force Longevity Service Award 5 • Navy & Marine Corps Overseas SERVICE &TRAINING AWARDS CONT’D Service Ribbon • Coast Guard Overseas Service Ribbon Recruiting service ribbons • Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon • Navy Recruiting Service Ribbon • Air Force Longevity Service Award • Air Force Recruiter Ribbon • Army Sea Duty Ribbon Recruiting service ribbons • Army Overseas Service Ribbon • Navy Recruiting Service Ribbon • Army Reserve Overseas Training • Air Force Recruiter Ribbon Ribbon • Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon • Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon • Coast Guard Recruiting Service • Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon Ribbon • Coast Guard Special Operations Training service ribbons Service Ribbon • Air Force Military Training Instructor • Navy Arctic Service Ribbon Ribbon • Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon • Navy Recruit Training Service Ribbon • Naval Reserve Sea Service Ribbon • Marine Corps Drill Instructor Ribbon • Army Sea Duty Ribbon • Army Overseas Service Ribbon Guard ribbons • Army Reserve Overseas Training • Navy Ceremonial Guard Ribbon Ribbon • Marine Corps Security Guard Ribbon • Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon • Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Professional Development Ribbons Ribbon • Army NCO Professional • Coast Guard Special Operations Development Ribbon Service Ribbon • Air Force NCO PME Graduate Ribbon • Navy Arctic Service Ribbon • Air Force Honor Graduate Ribbon • Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon • Coast Guard Honor Graduate Ribbon • Naval Reserve Sea Service Ribbon • Army Service Ribbon • Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service • Air Force Training Ribbon Ribbon •