Complete Guide to U.S. Military Awards, Medals, and Decorations

Honor the Service. Preserve the Legacy.

Welcome to TheDepartmentOfAwards.com, your trusted source for learning about America’s military honors. Whether you’re a veteran, active-duty service member, family member, collector, or military history enthusiast, you’ll find clear, accurate information about the awards that recognize courage, service, achievement, and sacrifice.

Use this guide as your starting point to explore U.S. military medals, ribbons, badges, campaign awards, qualification insignia, award eligibility, military records, and preservation tips. Our goal is to help you better understand the awards earned by the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces while preserving their stories for future generations.

What Are Military Awards and Decorations?

Military awards and decorations are official recognitions presented by the United States Armed Forces to acknowledge service, valor, achievement, and sacrifice. These honors represent a service member’s career, conduct, and contributions during both peacetime and wartime.

Military awards generally fall into several core categories:

Medals and Decorations
Service Medals
Campaign Medals
Unit Awards
Ribbons
Badges and Insignia

Each category has its own eligibility criteria, order of precedence, and wearing rules.

Categories of U.S. Military Awards

Medals for Valor

Valor awards recognize acts of heroism in combat and life-threatening situations. These are among the most respected and prestigious military honors.

Examples include:

Medal of Honor
Distinguished Service Cross / Navy Cross / Air Force Cross
Silver Star
Bronze Star with Valor

👉 See our full guide to Valor Awards

Service and Achievement Medals

These medals recognize honorable service, meritorious achievement, or sustained performance.

Common examples:

Good Conduct Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Commendation Medals
Achievement Medals

👉 Read our breakdown of Service & Achievement Medals

Campaign and War Medals

Campaign medals commemorate participation in specific conflicts, wars, or military operations.

Examples include:

National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal

👉 Explore Campaign & War Medals by conflict

Unit Awards

Unit awards recognize collective performance rather than individual actions.

Examples include:

Presidential Unit Citation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation

👉 Learn how Unit Awards work and who qualifies

Ribbons and Devices

Ribbons represent medals when full-size medals are not worn. Devices indicate repeat awards or special distinctions.

Common devices:

Oak Leaf Clusters
Service Stars
“V” Device
Arrowhead Device

👉 See our Ribbon & Device Identification Guide

Badges and Insignia

Badges signify qualifications, skills, or special training.

Examples include:

Combat Infantryman Badge
Parachutist Badge
Aviation Badges
Marksmanship Badges

👉 View Military Badges and Qualification Insignia

Order of Precedence Explained

Military awards are worn in a strict order of precedence based on significance and branch regulations. Incorrect placement can result in uniform violations or inaccurate displays.

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