The Vietnam Civil Actions Medal was first established in 1964. This military medal is also known as the Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation, and it is a military award of South Vietnam. Awarded to any member of the Vietnamese military who achieved outstanding civic service to the state or who participated in civil service actions of significant benefit. There are two cases in which the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal is awarded; with the first class intended for commissioned officers and the second for enlisted personnel. It was not possible to upgrade one class to another or to wear both classes simultaneously.
The military medal “Vietnam Civil Actions Medal” is a unit award referred to as the Civil Actions Unit Award with Palm or as the Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation with Civil Actions Colors. This unit award was awarded to all members of a military command who had participated in civic actions with such a degree that would normally warrant the presentation of the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal. Appearing as the ribbon for the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal (First Class), the unit award was enclosed in a gold frame with a centered bronze palm.
Since the two military medals were considered separate awards, regulations did permit the simultaneous presentation and display of both the full sized medal and unit award.The Vietnam Civil Actions Medal was one of the more commonly bestowed Vietnam medals presented to the forces of foreign militaries.
The Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation was most often presented to units of the Marine Corps, in the United States Armed Forces, which had served in local police actions to suppress civil unrest in specific areas of South Vietnam. The Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Vietnam Gallentry Cross were other commonly awarded Vietnam Medals, received by members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The Vietnam Civil Action Medal in now an obsolete award, since the awarding nation, the Republic of Vietnam, no longer exist. The only way the award would be available is through private dealers of military insignia. Although this ribbon is obsolete, and no longer awarded, any individual that was awarded this military decoration is still entitled to wear it on their respective uniform.