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Beginning in the 19th century, and throughout the 20th and 21st century, the Armed Forces of the United States has sought to recognize military accomplishment with personal awards and decorations bestowed upon service members. The following is a list of the Awards and decorations of the United States military.
Medal of Honor
The highest award of the United States Military is the Medal of Honor. Although a single award, each service department issues the decoration separately and the design of the Medal of Honor varies slightly, depending on which service is bestowing the award.
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 Medal of Honor, Douglas Munro, received the Navy Medal of Honor, although a Coast Guard version of the Medal of Honor exists as a conjectural decoration.
The power to grant the Medal of Honor rests with the President of the United States upon approval from the United States Congress. Since the award must be approved by Congress, the decoration is often referred to as the Congressional Medal of Honor. The proper military term for the award, however, is simply "Medal of Honor".
Department of Defense Decorations
The following decorations are issued by the United States Department of Defense
Federal Military Decorations
The following decorations are common to all branches of service and awarded by senior field commanders or other officials of competent authority.
Navy and Marine Corps Decorations
The following decorations are issued by the United States Department of the Navy.
Army Decorations
The following decorations are issued by the United States Department of the Army
Air Force Decorations
The following decorations are issued by the United States Department of the Air Force
Coast Guard Decorations
The following decorations were previously issued under the authority of the United States Department of Transportation. As of 2003, the Department of Homeland Security has award authority of Coast Guard decorations
Good Conduct and Reserve Medals
The following decorations are authorized for honorable and faithful service in the active duty military, reserve enlisted force, and military reserve as a whole.
Active Enlisted
Reserve Enlisted
Military Reserve
Military Unit Awards
The following decorations are ribbon devices which are presented to a military member who is a member of a larger unit which is cited for a specific action.
Joint Service
Army Service
The U.S. Army mandates that all unit awards will be worn separate from individual awards on the opposite side of a military uniform. The Army is the only service to require this separation between unit and individual decorations.
Navy and Marine Corps Service
Air Force Service
Coast Guard Service
World War Service Medals
The following service medals were issued to military service members for participation in the First World War, Second World War, and the occupation duty that followed both conflicts.
World War One
World War Two
Occupation Medals
Korean Service Medals
The following decorations are awarded for service during the Korean War and subsequent armistice.
Modern Service Medals
The following decorations are issued for participation in military activites from the Vietnam War to the present. Such service decorations can be found on the uniforms of active duty military personnel.
General Service
Air Defense Service
Sea Service
Special Service
Marksmanship Medals
The Navy and Coast Guard are the only two services to issue medals for weapons marksmanship. Medals are issued for Expert qualification only.
Service Ribbons
The following is a list of awards and decorations for which no medal is authorized. In such cases, a recepiant is awarded a Service Ribbon.
Army Service
Navy and Marine Corps Service
Coast Guard Service
Air Force Service
Obsolete Military Decorations
The following decorations have been officially removed from U.S. military award precedence charts and are listed as Obsolete Military Decorations in military award publications and instructions. Most of the following decorations indicate service in military operations prior to 1935.
General Service
Army Service
Navy and Marine Corps Service
Coast Guard Service
Unofficial Military Decorations
The following decorations were authorized under military regulations for wear on active uniforms, however did not appear on official precedence charts. Such awards were thus listed as “unofficial” and were usually bestowed for a one time action or authorized under the authority of a local commander.
General Service
Army Service
Navy and Marine Corps Service
Coast Guard Service
Special Service
Authorized Civilian Decorations
The following civilian decorations are authorized for wear on United States military uniforms due to the prestige and criteria involved in their bestowal. With the exception of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, such decorations are worn after all U.S. military awards and before foreign decorations.
Pending Military Decorations
The following decorations have been approved for design, but have not yet been authorized for issuance to U.S. military personnel.
International Military Decorations
The following decorations are recognized as international awards authorized for wear on a U.S. military uniform.
Foreign Military Decorations
The following is a listing of foreign decorations which were bestowed upon U.S. service members for participation in foreign conflicts.
Belgium
France
Award Devices
The following devices are authorIzed for wear on United States military decorations to denote upgrades, combat distinction, or multiple bestowals of a given award
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