ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY The Distinguished Service Cross was established by order of President Woodrow Wilson, as promulgated in War Department General Orders Number 6 of January 12, 1918, and formalized by Act of Congress on July 9, 1918 (Public Law 193, 65th Congress). EFFECTIVE DATES The Distinguished Service Cross has been in effect since April 6, […]

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY The War on Terrorism Service Medal was established by Executive Order 13289 signed by President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 and implemented by a memorandum issued by Charles S. Abell, Principal Deputy Secretary of Defense, on October 28, 2003, subject: “Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals.” EFFECTIVE DATES Individuals […]

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY The Coast Guard Cross was established by Act of Congress (Public Law 111-281, approved on October 15, 2010 (which authorized 14 USC 491A). EFFECTIVE DATES The legislation establishing the Coast Guard Cross did not provide for retroactive award, so it must be considered as taking effect on October 15, 2010. CRITERIA The President […]

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY The Army Civil War Campaign Medal was established by paragraph (a) of War Department General Orders Number 12 dated January 21, 1907. EFFECTIVE DATES This medal was awarded for qualifying service between the inclusive dates of April 15, 1861, and April 9, 1865 (extended to August 20, 1866 for service in Texas). CRITERIA […]

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY The Brevet Medal was formally authorized on June 27, 1921 by Marine Corps Orders Number 26 which published an earlier order issued by the Secretary of the Navy on June 7, 1921 prescribing the Brevet Medal as an article of the Marine Corps uniform to worn by officers holding a brevet commission. EFFECTIVE […]

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY The Kosovo Campaign Medal was established by Executive Order 13154 signed by President William J. Clinton on May 3, 2000, and published in the Federal Register on May 5, 2000. EFFECTIVE DATES The Kosovo Campaign Medal may be awarded to United States military personnel for participating in the operations and campaigns listed below: […]

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY The War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal was established by Executive Order 13289 signed by President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 and implemented by Charles S. Abell, Principal Deputy Secretary of Defense, in a memorandum dated Ocotber 28, 2003, subject: “Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals,” as amended on February […]

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY The Armed Forces Reserve Medal was established by Executive Order 10163 signed by President Harry S. Truman on September 25, 1950, as amended by Executive Order 10439 on March 19, 1953. EFFECTIVE DATES The Armed Forces Reserve Medal has been awarded for qualifying service from September 25, 1950 to the present. CRITERIA The […]

BACKGROUND INFORMATION* The Army was created on June 14, 1775, when the Continental Congress first authorized the muster of troops to serve under its own authority. Those soldiers came from the provincial forces of the colonies, which were at that time laying siege to Boston. From its birth, the American Army has relied on the […]

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY The Air Force Combat Action Medal was established on March 15, 2007 by the Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne . EFFECTIVE DATES The Air Force Combat Action Medal is retroactive to September 11, 2001. CRITERIA The Air Force Combat Action Medal may be awarded to members of the United States […]

ESTABLISHING LEGISLATION The Four Chaplains’ Medal was established by Act of Congress (Public Law 86-656, 86th Congress) on July 14, 1960. EVENT COMMEMORATED This medal commemorates the extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty displayed by four American chaplains during the Second World War. It was awarded posthumously to Chaplains George L. Fox, Alexander D. Goode, […]

BACKGROUND INFORMATION American military commemorative medals, established by Congress to reward a particular individual for some noteworthy event or personal achievement, have a long and distinguished history. The first was awarded to General George Washington for his recovery of Boston on March 17, 1776. The earliest American military commemorative medals were struck in Paris, but […]

Establishing Authority The Department of Homeland Security Presidential Unit Citation was established under the authority of Executive Order 10694 (signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on January 10, 1957), as amended by Section 74 of Executive Order 13286 (signed by President George W. Bush on February 28, 2003, which amended Executive Orders, and other actions, […]

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY Also known as the State of Vietnam Friendship Ribbon, the Republic of Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation was established by the Government of South Vietnam on August 15, 1950. It was awarded to United States Military Assistance Advisory Group (Indo-China) pursuant to a citation dated October 7, 1954, signed by the President of the […]