MyMilitaryMedals.com Blog
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
November 29th 2009 - 12:14 pm
The War Department established the Meritorious Service Plaque in August of 1944. Additional awards were indicated by gold Award Stars, and later a gold Numeral inside the wreath on the plaque. Personnel from units that received these military awards were allowed to wear a Meritorious Service Unit Insignia on their sleeve. In May of 1947 the Army established the Meritorious Unit Commendation with a design more similar to other military ribbons. The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the U.S. Army which is awarded to units for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding services for at least six continuous months during the period of military operations against an armed enemy. The unit must show outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks in a manner that sets them above other units with similar missions. The degree of achievement required is the same as that which would warrant award of the Legion of Merit to an individual. These military ribbons may be worn by all unit members of a cited organization whether or not a member during the action sited, and is considered an individual decoration for persons who were unit members during the cited acts, even after they are no longer members of that unit. The Valorous Unit Award is the next higher, and the Superior Unit Award is the next lower in the order of precedence for military medals and ribbons. A unit banner is also approved for display. The Army Meritorious Unit Commendation is generally available as Army ribbons and a unit banner, and can be worn as traditional full size military ribbons and lapel pins. Like most military awards, it is available as traditional slide-on, full size military ribbons, and thin military ribbons.
Gallant Unit Citation
November 26th 2009 - 2:08 pm
The Gallant Unit Citation is an Air Force award created in March of 2004 for Air Force units that distinguishes itself by extraordinary heroism while engaged in armed combat with an enemy force. These military ribbons are awarded for actions showing a lesser degree of gallantry and determination than required for the Presidential Unit Citation, though the actions performed must have set the unit apart and above the general performance of other units in the same engagement. The degree of heroism the unit displays would earn an individual a Silver Star. These military awards are normally only presented to units participating in single or successive actions that take place in a brief span of time, and the unit size is generally not larger than a group. In the order of precedence for military medals and ribbons, The Gallant Unit Citation falls just below the Presidential Unit Citation, and just above the Meritorious Unit Commendation. It is considered equivalent to the Defense Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Army Valorous Unit Award, the Navy Unit Commendation, and the Coast Guard Unit Commendation. Subsequent awards are denoted by Oak Leaf Cluster devices. A Unit Banner has been approved for display. The Gallant Unit Citation is generally available as Air Force ribbons and can be worn as traditional full size military ribbons and lapel pins. Like most military awards, it is available as traditional slide-on, full size military ribbons, and thin military ribbons.
Joint Meritorious Unit Awards
November 25th 2009 - 10:46 am
The Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a relative newcomer to the pantheon of military ribbons. Defense Secretary Weinberger established it in June of 1981, and it is the only unit award given by the Defense Department. These military awards are the unit equivalent of the Defense Superior Service Medal. It is presented to joint units or combined activities where direction comes through Unified or Combined Command channels, or where a joint mission is pursued under the direction of the Secretary of Defense, or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or their designated commander. The Joint Meritorious Unit Award is just below the Presidential Unit Citation, equivalent to the Army Valorous Unit Award, the Navy Unit Commendation, the Air Force Gallant Unit Citation, and the Coast Guard Unit Commendation, and just above the Meritorious Unit Commendation in the order of precedence for military medals and ribbons. Multiple awards are denoted by Oak Leaf Cluster devices. A Unit Banner has also been approved for display. The Joint Meritiorious Unit Award is generally available as Army ribbons, Air Force ribbons, Navy and Marine Corp ribbons, and Coast Guard ribbons, and can be worn as traditional full size military ribbons and lapel pins. Like most military awards, it is available as traditional slide-on, full size military ribbons, and thin military ribbons.
Presidential Unit Citations
November 23rd 2009 - 3:32 pm
The first version of a Presidential Unit Citation was established in February of 1942 for the Army, the Navy and the Marine Corps, and was called the Distinguished Unit Citation. After the Air Force was made a separate branch in 1947 they also adopted the Distinguished Unit Citation. Both the Army and the Air Force changed the name of these military ribbons to the Presidential Unit Citation in November of 1966. The Presidential Unit Citation is the unit equivalent of the individual Army and Air Force Cross Medals, and may be awarded to US allies as well as US Armed Forces personnel for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy. The Unit awarded these military decorations must have shown gallantry, determination, and cohesiveness under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions so as to set its performance apart and above that of other units. In the Army and Air Force, every member of the unit at the time the actions take place for which these military awards are issued may wear this military ribbon weather or not they participated in the actual event. In the Army, the PUC is worn above the right pocket, while in the Air Force it is worn on the left pocket below all personnel awards. Presidential Unit Citations are worn below Army and Air Force Achievement Medals and the Air Force Combat Action Medal and above Defense Joint Meritorious Unit Awards, Army Valorous Unit Awards, and Air Force Gallant Unit Citations in the order of precedence for all military ribbons and medals. Some branches of service offer special clasps to commemorate specific events for which the PUCs are awarded. The Army and Air Force each have their own unique streamer to represent receipt of Presidential Unit Citations. Presidential Unit Citations are generally available as Army and Air Force ribbons and can be worn as traditional full size military ribbons and lapel pins. Like most military ribbons, it is available as traditional slide-on, full size military slide-on ribbons, and thin military ribbons.
Aerial Achievement Medal
November 8th 2009 - 11:29 am
The Aerial Achievement Medal was created in 1988 and awarded in the name of the Secretary of the Air Force. These military awards are designed to recognize sustained meritorious achievement of aircrew members whose actions in flight might not qualify for the Air Medal. These Air Force medals are recommended by local commanders, but must be approved by a major Air Force Command. The Aerial Achievement Medal is awarded to aircrew members for meritorious service over the course of 20 separate flights of at least 2 hours duration. These military decorations rank just below the Air Medal and just above the Commendation Medals in the order of precedence for military medals. Subsequent awards are made with Oak Leaf Clusters. The Aerial Achievement Medal may be approved by local commanders, however the missions for which the decoration is authorized must be approved by a Major Air Force Command. The Aerial Achievement Medal is generally available as Air Force medals and ribbons and can, be worn as full size military medals and mini medals, military ribbons and lapel pins. Like most military medals, it is available as traditional slide-on full size military medals or mini-medals, traditional slide-on military ribbons, and thin military medals and mini-medals or military ribbons.
Air Medal
November 7th 2009 - 2:57 pm
Franklin D. Roosevelt established Air Medal military decorations by Executive Order on May 11, 1942, and made provisions for retroactive awards to September 8, 1939. Air Medals are awarded to servicepersons in any branch of the United States Armed Forces, who distinguish themselves by meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. These military medals are primarily intended to recognize those personnel who are on current crew member or non-crew member flying status requiring them to participate in aerial flight on a regular basis in the performance of their primary duties. Air Medals may recognize single acts of heroism, or meritorious service. In certain circumstances, servicepersons who make discernable contributions to the mission of the aircraft in flight while functioning as a crew member, but who are not on flying status, may also be presented these military awards. Many famous people have received military medals over the years. Here is a partial list of those who received prestigious Air Medal awards: Jimmy Doolittle, Clark Gable, James Stewart, Ed McMahon, Ted Williams, Gene Roddenberry, Chuck Yeager, George H. W. Bush, John McCain, Colin Powell, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Gus Grissom, and Jim Lovell. Air Medals may be awarded multiple times, and each branch of service handles it their own way. During the Vietnam War, the number of Air Medals awarded by the U.S. Army became too large for the original Oak Leaf Clusters to represent, so they now awards Numerals to display on these military medals and military ribbons. The U.S. Air Force still uses traditional Oak Leaf Clusters to denote multiple awards of the Air Medal. Both the Army and the Air Force have approved the Valor Device, awarded for acts of heroism, to be worn on the Air Medal, but in the Air Force, the Valor Device may only be worn on Air Medal decorations awarded after October 21, 2004. There are two types of Air Medal awards made for U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine personnel. The individual Air Medal is presented for singular meritorious acts; and the strike/flight Air Medal is awarded for participation in sustained aerial flight operations. Subsequent awards of these military medals are displayed differently, depending on when the awards were made. If the awards were made during the period between November 22, 1989 and September 27, 2006, Gold and Silver Stars were used to denote multiple awards. Gold Stars were used to indicate the second through fifth, and seventh through tenth presentations, while Silver Stars were used to denote six or eleven cumulative awards. Before November 22, 1989, and after September 27, 2006, Gold Numerals denote multiple awards for individual Air Medals, and Bronze Numerals indicate multiple awards for strike/flight Air Medals. Individual Air Medals may also display the Valor Device, when authorized. Air Medals issued in the U.S. Coast Guard handle subsequent awards with Gold or Silver Stars, but have not authorized any additional devices for display on these military medals. The Air Medal can be worn in the following forms: full size military medals, military mini medals, military ribbons (service ribbons), and lapel pins. This medal, like most military medals, is available in the following styles: traditional slide-on, full size military medals or mini-medals, traditional slide-on military ribbons, and thin military mini-medals or military ribbons.
Meritorious Service Medal
November 6th 2009 - 12:24 pm
President Lyndon Johnson established the Meritorious Service Medal with an Executive Order on January 16, 1969. These military awards are presented to service members of all U.S. Armed Forces for outstanding non-combat meritorious service to the U.S., where the acts or services performed are similar to those for which the Legion of Merit is awarded, but entailing slightly lower levels of responsibility. On July 2, 1981, President Ronald Regan authorized the granting of these military medals to members of friendly armed forces. Normally these military decorations would only be awarded to field grade officers, senior warrant officers, and senior noncommissioned officers. The Meritorious Service Medal ranks just below the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with the Purple Heart just above both of them, and just above the Air Medal in the order of precedence. Subsequent awards of these military medals are denoted by Oak Leaf Clusters. The Meritorious Service Medal is generally available as Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corp, and Coast Guard medals and ribbons, but can be worn in the following forms: full size military medals, military mini medals, military ribbons (service ribbons), and lapel pins. This medal, like most military medals, is available in the following styles: traditional slide-on, full size military medals or mini-medals, traditional slide-on military ribbons, and thin military mini-medals or military ribbons.
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
November 5th 2009 - 10:01 am
President Lyndon Johnson established the Meritorious Service Medal with an Executive Order on January 16, 1969. These military awards are presented to service members of all U.S. Armed Forces for outstanding non-combat meritorious service to the U.S., where the acts or services performed are similar to those for which the Legion of Merit is awarded, but entailing slightly lower levels of responsibility. On July 2, 1981, President Ronald Regan authorized the granting of these military medals to members of friendly armed forces. A slightly higher award, called the Defense Meritorious Service Medal was created by President Carter and is awarded for the performance of similar service when the personnel are engaged in duties in joint service with the U.S. Department of Defense. Normally these military decorations would only be awarded to field grade officers, senior warrant officers, and senior noncommissioned officers. The Meritorious Service Medal ranks just below the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with the Purple Heart just above both of them, and just above the Air Medal in the order of precedence. Subsequent awards of these military medals are denoted by Oak Leaf Clusters. The Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal are generally available as Army medals and ribbons, Air Force medals and ribbons, Navy medals and ribbons, Marine Corp medals and ribbons, and Coast Guard medals and ribbons, but can be worn in the following forms: full size military medals, military mini medals, military ribbons (service ribbons), and lapel pins. This medal, like most military medals, is available in the following styles: traditional slide-on, full size military medals or mini-medals, traditional slide-on military ribbons, and thin military mini-medals or military ribbons.
