Awards & decorations of the United States military

The first wide spread use of military awards was during the American Civil War, when the Armed Forces of the United States sought to recognize military accomplishment with personal awards and decorations bestowed upon service members. Prior to that, decorations, particularly for officers, were rare, frequently seen as the trappings of royalty and empire, and considered contrary to the republican spirit present among the Founding Fathers of the United States. [1].

The following is a listing of all active United States medals and ribbons, obsolete decorations, as well as foreign awards which are commonly bestowed to U.S. service members.

Medal of Honor

The original Medal of Honor was issued to members of the U.S. Army. In 1947, the U.S. Air Force began issuing its own version of the Medal of Honor. The U.S. Navy issues the Medal of Honor for members of the Navy and United States Marines. The only U.S. Coast Guard recipient of the award, Douglas Munro received the Navy Medal of Honor while attached to a Navy unit. Although a Coast Guard version of the Medal of Honor exists as a conjectural decoration, it has never been awarded or even designed.

The power to grant the Medal of Honor rests with the President upon approval from the Congress. The decoration is often referred to as the Congressional Medal of Honor because of this approval, but the official term for the award is simply the "Medal of Honor".

Department of Defense decorations

Federal military decorations

Navy and Marine Corps decorations

Army decorations

Air Force decorations

Coast Guard decorations

Good Conduct and Reserve Medals

Military Unit Awards

World War service medals

Korean service medals

Modern service medals

Marksmanship medals

Service ribbons

National Guard decorations

In the modern age, the United States Army Reserve and Air Force Reserve permit National Guard members to retain and display National Guard decorations when activated to a regular status in the United States Armed Forces. Such National Guard decorations are also entered in permanent service records.

The United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard do not permit service members, who have formerly served in the National Guard, to display National Guard decorations on any uniform. This is since there is no National Guard equivalent for any of the sea services.

Obsolete military decorations

Unofficial military decorations

Authorized civilian decorations

Certain civilian decorations are authorized for wear on United States military uniforms based on the prestige and criteria involved in their bestowal and the frequency of which they are awarded to both military and civilian personnel. Civilian decorations may be authorized for wear on a uniform of the U.S. armed forces upon application of the service department to which the military member belongs. With the exception of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is worn immediately following the Medal of Honor, such decorations are worn after all U.S. military awards and before any foreign decorations.

International military decorations

Foreign military decorations

Prohibited decorations

The following awards and decorations are prohibited for wear on United States military uniforms:

• Unofficial Commemorative Medals not sponsored and approved by the Department of Defense
• Foreign military decorations which have not been authorized for United States military uniform display by the various service departments
• Medals and awards of United States military academies unless specifically serving as an Academy Cadet or Naval Midshipman
• Reserve Officer Training Corps awards unless specifically serving in a capacity as an ROTC Cadet or Naval ROTC Midshipman
• Civilian Cadet Corps awards, such as decorations bestowed by the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets and the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets.
• Pseudo-military awards such as decorations bestowed by the Sea Cadets and the Civil Air Patrol
• Police and Law Enforcement decorations
• Civilian government awards which have not been approved for display on military uniforms by the Department of Defense
• Private corporation and private sector awards which are not issued by a government or military source
• Eagle Scout of the Boy Scouts of America or the Gold Award of the Girl Scouts of America.

  Award devices

  Related articles

• List of military decorations
• State decoration
• List of prizes, medals, and awards

  Official links

• The Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army
• U.S. Navy Service and Campaign Medals
• Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia (in PDF format)
• Military Awards (U.S. Army) (in PDF format)