General provisions governing the awards of decorations.

[Title 32 CFR 578.3]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - July 1, 2002 Edition]
[Title 32 - NATIONAL DEFENSE]
[Chapter V - DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY]
[Subchapter F - PERSONNEL]
[Part 578 - DECORATIONS, MEDALS, RIBBONS, AND SIMILAR DEVICES]
[Sec. 578.3 - General provisions governing the awards of decorations.]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]

32NATIONAL DEFENSE32002-07-012002-07-01falseGeneral provisions governing the awards of decorations.578.3Sec. 578.3NATIONAL DEFENSEDEPARTMENT OF THE ARMYPERSONNELDECORATIONS, MEDALS, RIBBONS, AND SIMILAR DEVICES
Sec. 578.3 General provisions governing the awards of decorations.

(a) To whom awarded. See figure 1.

[[Page 389]]

Figure 1--Army Personal Decorations
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Awarded for-- Awarded by-- Awarded to--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Decorations (Listed in order of Heroism Military Civilian
precedence) ------------------------------------- Under war Under peace -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Achievement criteria \a\ criteria \a\
Combat Non-Combat or service U.S. Foreign U.S. Foreign
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
military

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medal of Honor (Est. 1862)......... X .......... ........... (\1\ ) ............ War ^b................ ..................... .....................
Distinguished Service Cross (Est. X .......... ........... (\3\ ) ............ War.................. War.................. War ^c................ War.^c
1918).
Distinguished Service Medal (Est. .......... .......... X (\2\ ) (\2\ ) War,................. War \1\ ............. War \c 1\............ War.\c 1\
1918).
Peace................
Silver Star (Est. 1918)............ X .......... ........... (\3\ ) ............ War.................. War.................. War \c\.............. War.\c\
Legion of Merit (Est. 1942)........ .......... .......... X (\4\ ) (\2\ ) War,................. War,................. .....................
Peace \d\............
Distinguished Flying Cross (Est. X \e\ X \e\ X \e\ (\3\ ) (\2\ ) War,................. War.................. .....................
1926).
Peace................
Soldier's Medal (Est. 1926)........ .......... X ........... (\3\ ) (\2\ ) War,................. War.................. .....................
Peace................
Bronze Star Medal (Est. 1944)...... X \f\ .......... X (\3\ ) ............ War.................. War.................. War.................. War.\c\
Air Medal (Est. 1942).............. X \e\ .......... X \c\ (\3\ ) (\2\ ) War,................. War.................. War.................. War.\c\
Peace................
Army Commendation Medal (Est. 1945) .......... X X (\3\ ) (\5\ \2\ ) War,................. ..................... .....................
Peace \k\............
Purple Heart (Est. 1782; Revived Wounds .......... (\6\ ) ............ War ..................... War..................
1932).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medal for Merit (Est. 1942)........ .......... .......... X (\1\ ) ............ ..................... ..................... War \j\.............. War.
National Security Medal (Est. 1953) X X X (\1\ ) (\1\ ) War.................. War.................. War.................. War.
Peace................ Peace................ Peace................
Medal of Freedom (Est. 1942)....... X X X (\4\ ) (\3\ ) ..................... Peace \g\............ Peace \h\............ Peace.\g\
Distinguished Civilian Service .......... .......... X ............ (\2\ ) ..................... ..................... Peace \i\............ Peace.
Medal (Est. 1957).
Outstanding Civilian Service Medal .......... .......... X ............ (\2\ ) ..................... ..................... Peace \i\............ Peace.
(Est. 1960).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ President of the U.S. He may award all decorations; only he may award the Medal of Honor.
\2\ Secretary of the Army. Secretary of Defense awards the LM to foreign military personnel.
\3\ Senior Army commander of any separate force. He may delegate his authority to (a) any subordinate commander in the grade of major general or higher and (b) any brigadier general who
commands a tactical unit, and, as such, occupies a position vacancy of a major general. Exception: Authority to award the DSC to foreign personnel is retained by the Secretary of the Army.

[[Page 390]]

\4\ Commanders specifically designated by the Secretary of the Army (usually theater commanders).
\5\ Commander in the grade or position of major general or higher, heads of Hq DA Staff agencies.
\6\ Commander of any separate force in the grade or position of a major general or higher. He may delegate his authority to any field grade officer.
\a\ Peace criteria apply to all personnel in times of total peace; similarly, war criteria apply to all personnel in times of formal declared war plus 1 year thereafter. When no formal war has
been declared but the U.S. is engaged in military operations against an armed enemy, all personnel in the combat zone and certain individuals in the communications zone (i.e., only those
whose duties involve direct control or support of combat operations) are considered under war criteria; all remaining personnel are considered under peace criteria.
\b\ Army Medal of Honor is awarded only to Army officer and enlisted personnel.
\c\ Not usually awarded to these personnel.
\d\ Awarded to foreign military in one of four degrees. The degrees of Chief Commander and Commander compare to award of the DSM to U.S. military, the degrees of Officer and Legionnaire
compare to award of the LM to U.S. military. Second or succeeding awards of this decoration must be in the same or a higher degree than the previous award.
\e\ Must meet requirement ``while participating in aerial flight.''
\f\ Must meet requirement ``in actual ground combat'' for valor, awarded with a bronze star ``V'' device to distinguish from an award made for achievement or service.
\g\ Awarded to foreign personnel in one of four degrees: Gold Palm (corresponds to LM, Chief, Commander degree); Silver Palm (corresponds to LM, Commander degree); Bronze Palm (corresponds to
LM, Officer and Legionnaire degrees); and without Palm (corresponds to Bronze Star Medal). Only one Medal of Freedom, either with or without palm, is awarded to any one person. Second and
successive awards may be evidenced by the addition of a palm of a higher degree.
\h\ The meritorious act or service must be of degree required for the award of the BSM to U.S. military. Usually awarded for acts or services performed within an active theater of operations,
never for acts of services performed within continental limits of the United States.
\i\ Not awarded for service rendered as a Department of the Army employee.
\j\ Last awarded in 1952.
\k\Never awarded to officers of general rank.

[[Page 391]]

(b) Recommendations. (1) It is the responsibility and privilege of
any individual having personal knowledge of an act, achievement, or
service believed to warrant the award of a decoration to submit a
recommendation for consideration. It is usually desirable that the
intended recipient not be informed of a pending recommendation or given
an implied promise of an award prior to final approval and clearance.
This is especially true when the intended recipient is a foreigner.
(2) Recommendations may be submitted in letter form but it is
preferable that DA Form 638 (Recommendation for Award (Heroism,
meritorious achievement or service)) be used. This form is self-
explanatory; however, close attention to detail is most essential. A
separate recommendation including a proposed citation will be submitted
for each proposed award and only one proposed recipient will be named in
a single recommendation. Lucid reporting of facts, not flowery
generalities, will be most likely to achieve the object of the
recommendation. Statements of eyewitnesses, extracts from official
records, sketches, maps, diagrams, photographs, etc., will be attached
to support and amplify stated facts. Statements must be signed and the
signer clearly identified by his organization or address; if in the
military service the service number should be included. All other
documentation should be authenticated and related to the basic
recommendation. The proposed citation usually will be limited to one
typewritten page (8 by 10\1/2\ inches) double spaced.
(3) To be fully effective a decoration must be timely. Undue delay
in the submission of a recommendation may preclude its consideration as
noted in paragraph (m) of this section. It is highly desirable that a
recommendation be placed in military channels and acted on as quickly as
possible. If circumstances preclude submission of a completely
documented recommendation it is best to submit it as soon as possible
and note that additional data is to be submitted later. Action by
intermediate headquarters and by the final approving authority will be
as expeditious as possible, consistent with full and weighted judgment.
(4) A recommendation for the award of a decoration based on a period
of meritorious service will not normally be acted on more than 30 days
prior to the projected end of that period. Such an award normally will
not be made until the duties which the individual has been performing
are terminated. When an individual departing an organization or
installation desires to initiate a recommendation for an award for
meritorious service for an individual who is remaining in the command,
he should leave the recommendation in written form with the commanding
officer or with his own successor for final action when the person
recommended becomes eligible for consideration, as indicated in
paragraphs (b)(1) to (4) of this section.
(5) Recommendations for all awards which may not be finally acted on
in the field pursuant to delegated authority will be forwarded through
channels to The Adjutant General, or directly to The Adjutant General if
the use of military channels is impracticable. Each intermediate
headquarters will express approval or disapproval, indicating reasons if
disapproved. When an interim award is made a copy of the orders and
citation will be added to the recommendation when it is forwarded.
(c) By whom awarded--wartime criteria. The award of the Medal of
Honor is made by the President. Awards of other decorations are made by
the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of the Army,
except that during a period when wartime criteria apply, authority to
award decorations is delegated as follows:
(1) The Distinguished-Service Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished-
Flying Cross, Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, and
Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant may be awarded to members of the
Armed Forces of the United States by the senior Army commander of any
separate force or by subordinate commanders to whom he may delegate this
authority, provided that the authority will not be delegated to any
commander below the grade of major general. Authority may be delegated
to any commander in the grade of brigadier general while he is

[[Page 392]]

in command of a tactical unit and, as such, is occupying the established
position vacancy of a major general. No award will be made under the
provisions of this paragraph to a member of another United States Armed
Forces service without the concurrence of the respective senior
commander present.
(2) The Distinguished-Service Cross and Silver Star may be awarded
by the commanding general of a United States Army force in a theater of
operations to officers and members of crews of ships of the United
States Merchant Marine serving under his jurisdiction.
(3) The Legion of Merit may be awarded only by commanders
specifically designated by the Secretary of the Army.
(4) The Silver Star, Distinguished-Flying Cross, Soldier's Medal,
Bronze Star Medal, and Air Medal may be awarded by the commanders
indicated in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, to members of the armed
forces of friendly foreign nations, provided concurrence has been
obtained from the senior commander present in the theater of hostilities
for an award to one of his own nationals, except as shown in paragraphs
(c)(4) (i) and (ii) of this section. Such concurrence will be regarded
as constituting approval by his government for acceptance of the award.
A recommendation for any of these awards will be forwarded to the
Department of the Army when:
(i) The senior commander of a cobelligerent force is unable to
obtain the approval of his government.
(ii) An award to a flag or general officer or to the senior officer
of the cobelligerent force present in the area is contemplated.
(5) The Purple Heart may be awarded by the commanding general of any
separate force who is in the grade or position of a major general or
higher or by any field grade officer to whom he may delegate the
authority. The award may be made to members of the Armed Forces of the
United States, to officers and members of crews of ships of the United
States Merchant Marine serving within the area of his command, to
civilian citizens of the United States serving with the Army, and to
civilian citizens of the United States whose presence within the command
has been approved (examples: war correspondents, Red Cross, and USO
personnel).
(6) The Medal of Freedom may be awarded by such officers as may be
designated by the Secretary of the Army.
(7) The National Security Medal shall be awarded by the President or
his designee for that purpose under either wartime or peacetime
criteria.
(d) By whom awarded; peacetime criteria. (1) Awards for peacetime
service are made by the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the
Secretary of the Army.
(2) No peacetime award of an Army decoration will be made to a
member of another United States Armed Forces Service without concurrence
from the military department concerned.
(3) The Legion of Merit, the Soldier's Medal, the Army Commendation
Medal, the Decoration for Distinguished Civilian Service and the
Outstanding Civilian Service Award are the only United States
decorations which may be awarded by the Department of the Army to
foreign nationals under peacetime criteria. The Bronze Star Medal may be
awarded by the Department of the Army to foreign nationals under
peacetime criteria during a period and in specified areas where United
States troops are engaged in military operations involving conflict with
an opposing foreign force or while serving with friendly foreign forces
engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which
the United States is not a belligerent party.
(4) Authority to award the Joint Service Commendation Medal has been
delegated by the Secretary of Defense to:
(i) The Deputy Secretary of Defense for awards to military personnel
assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
(ii) The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff for awards to military
personnel on his staff, and in those agencies and activities reporting
through his staff.
(iii) Director, Defense Supply Agency for awards to military
personnel on his staff.
(iv) Director, National Security Agency for award to military
personnel on his staff.

[[Page 393]]

(v) Commanders in Chief of Unified and Specified Commands, for
awards to military personnel assigned to their respective headquarters
and to those joint agencies and activities reporting to or through their
commands.

In wartime, this authority may be further delegated at the direction of
the Secretary of Defense.
(5) The Army Commendation Medal may be awarded for heroism,
meritorious achievement or meritorious service by any commander in the
grade or position of a Major General or higher and by the heads of
Headquarters Department of the Army staff agencies to members of the
Army of the United States below the grade of Brigadier General. The Army
Commendation Medal may be awarded by the appropriate commander as an
interim award in accordance with paragraph (g) of this section in those
cases involving heroism and for which a recommendation for the award of
the Distinguished Flying Cross or the Soldier's Medal has been
submitted. Awards of the Army Commendation Medal may also be made under
the provisions of AR 672-301 (Incentive Awards).
(6) The National Security Medal is awarded as noted in paragraph
(c)(7) of this section.
(e) Civilian components. Awards of the Soldier's Medal,
Distinguished-Flying Cross, Air Medal, and Commendation Ribbon with
Metal Pendant may be made by the Secretary of the Army to members of the
civilian components of the Army not in Federal service or on active duty
for acts and services incident to membership in such civilian components
or directly related to attendance on occasions of military duty.
(f) Posthumous awards. Awards may be made following the decease of
the person being honored in the same manner as they are made for a
living person except that the orders and citation will indicate that the
award is being made posthumously. Engraved certificates for presentation
with the decorations will not contain the word posthumous. When the next
of kin resides in the United States, orders announcing the award,
together with the citation and related papers will be forwarded to The
Adjutant General who will cause presentation to be made. Eligible
classes of next of kin are listed in the order of their precedence in
Sec. 578.25a(b).
(g) Interim awards. To insure prompt recognition of an act,
achievement, or service, the award of a suitable lesser military
decoration may be made by appropriate authority pending final action on
a recommendation for a higher award. Each such lesser award will be
revoked simultaneously with an award of a higher military decoration for
the same act.
(h) Awards of a lower decoration. When an interim award has not been
made as provided in paragraph (g) of this section, the commander having
authority to take final action in the case may award a lower decoration
in lieu of the one recommended.
(i) Duplication of awards. Only one military decoration will be
awarded for the same act, achievement, or period of meritorious service.
An award for meritorious service may include meritorious achievements,
but duplicating awards will not be made for meritorious achievement and
meritorious service involving the same period of time. Continuation of
the same or similar type service already recognized by an award for
meritorious service will not be given a second award. If appropriate, an
award may be made to include the extended period of service by
superseding the earlier award, or if considered appropriate by the
awarding authority, and desired by the individual, the award previously
made may be amended to incorporate the extended period of service. An
award for heroism performed within a period which is recognized by an
award for meritorious service is not a duplication.
(j) Conversion of awards. Awards of certain decorations on the basis
of existing letters, certificates, and/or orders, as hereinafter
authorized will be made only upon letter application of the individuals
concerned to The Adjutant General, Washington, DC 20310. If possible,
the applicant for the conversion of an award of the Bronze Star Medal or
Commendation Ribbon should inclose the original or a copy of the
documentation which he wishes to have considered, or furnish all
possible details as to time, place, and deed or

[[Page 394]]

service to assist in locating any copy of the commendation which may
have been recorded.
(k) Character of service. No decoration shall be awarded or
presented to any individual whose entire service subsequent to the time
of the distinguished act, achievement, or service shall not have been
honorable. The Act of July 9, 1918 (40 Stat. 871) as amended (10 U.S.C.
1409); the Act of July 2, 1926 (44 Stat. 789), as amended (10 U.S.C.
1429).
(l) Disapproval of awards. Whenever a recommendation for the award
of a decoration is disapproved, the disapproving officer will indicate
the specific reason or reasons for such action. The disapproval of a
recommendation by an officer subordinate to the commander having
authority to award the decoration will not constitute authority for the
return of the recommendation to the initiator, except that
recommendations for an award for meritorious service which describe only
performance of normal duty in time of peace will be automatically
disapproved and returned to the initiator. All recommendations which
have been finally disapproved by the commander having authority to award
the decoration recommended will be considered by that commander for the
award of a lesser but appropriate decoration which, if approved, will be
forwarded in lieu thereof. All disapproved recommendations will be
returned to the initiator if he is in the military service and will be
returned through the same channels employed for forwarding.
(m) Time limitations. By operation of law a military decoration will
not be awarded more than 3 years after the action or period of service
being honored, and in each instance the recommendation for an award must
be formally entered into military channels within 2 years of the date of
the act, achievement, or service to be honored.
(1) Awards of military decorations may be made in cases where prior
similar recommendations have been acted upon by commanders who had
authority to approve the awards, provided the requests for
reconsideration or upgrading are submitted within the time limits
prescribed above and such requests are accompanied by new and material
evidence in support thereof.
(2) Awards of military decorations may be made in recognition of
previously issued orders, letters, or certificates, and in exchange of
decorations as may be authorized in this section.
(n) Announcement of awards. All awards made pursuant to delegated
authority will be announced in general orders by the commander
authorized to make the award. Complete citations for acts of heroism are
normally included in orders announcing the award. Orders announcing
awards for meritorious achievement and meritorious service normally
include only the places and inclusive dates of such achievements and
services; the complete citation is then prepared separately for
presentation and record purposes. Awards made by the President and the
Secretary of the Army will be announced in Department of the Army
General Orders when appropriate.
(o) Recording of awards. The award of a military decoration will be
entered in the personnel records of the recipient and in the unit
history of his organization in the manner prescribed in Army
regulations.
(p) Engraving of awards. The Medal of Honor is engraved with the
grade, name, and organization of the recipient. The Medal of Freedom is
engraved on the edge, and the reverse of all other decorations is
engraved with the name of the recipient. Normally, engraving will be
accomplished prior to presentation. When this is impracticable, the
recipient will be advised of his privilege to mail the decoration to
Commanding General, Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, for engraving at Government expense.
(q) Presentation of decoration--(1) Medal of Honor. The Medal of
Honor is usually presented to living recipients by the President of the
United States at the White House. Posthumous presentation to the next of
kin is normally made in Washington, DC, by the President or his personal
representative.
(2) Other United States military decorations. Presentation will be
timely. They will be made with an appropriate air of formality and with
fitting ceremony.
(3) Conversion awards. Conversion awards are not usually presented
with

[[Page 395]]

formal ceremony, however, such presentation may be made at the
discretion of local commanders.
(4) Act of presentation. A decoration may be pinned on the clothing
of the recipient, whether in uniform or civilian clothing or on the next
of kin in the case of an award following death; however, this will not
be construed as authority for any person other than the individual
honored by the decoration to wear it. As an alternative to pinning the
decoration, it may be handed to the recipient in an open decoration
container.

[21 FR 7672, Oct. 6, 1956, as amended at 21 FR 10010, Dec. 18, 1956; 24
FR 1790, Mar. 12, 1959; 26 FR 6434, July 18, 1961; 29 FR 527, Jan. 22,
1964]