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Soldiers Medal

An Act of Congress established the Soldier’s Medal on July 2, 1926 as one of the U.S. Army’s most prestigious medals of America. These military ribbons and medals may be presented to service persons who distinguish themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy while serving in any branch of U.S., or friendly foreign armed services, that are working in conjunction with the U.S. Army. These military medals are generally awarded to people who risk their lives to save others during times of war or peace. The acts of heroism for which these military decorations are awarded are deemed to be equal to those deserving of the Distinguished Flying Cross, but not involving actual combat with an enemy.



In 1998, a Defense Authorization Act authorized extending these US military medals, the Army’s highest peacetime medal, to members of the Reserves who were not on duty when their acts of heroism were performed.



The Soldier’s Medal is worn below the Distinguished Flying Cross, and above the Bronze Star in the general order of precedence that has been established for the proper display of all military medals and ribbons. The Soldier’s Medal is the equivalent of the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, the Air Force Airman’s Medal, and the Coast Guard Medal. If the level of valor involved in the awarding of the Soldier’s Medal is considered equal to the Distinguished Service Cross, American service member recipients would earn a ten percent increase in their retirement pay.



The Soldier’s Medal is generally available as traditional full size military medals and mini medals, military ribbons and lapel pins. Like most military medals, it can be worn as traditional slide-on, full size military medals or mini-medals, and slide-on military ribbons. Nowadays however, more and more military service personnel are realizing the value to their career goals of always having their uniform decorations looking their best, and have turned to the slimmer and trimmer thin military medals and mini medals and the ultra thin military ribbons to provide them with the smartest looking military award displays possible.