[Title 32 CFR 578.8]
[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. 578.8 - Legion of Merit.]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


32NATIONAL DEFENSE32002-07-012002-07-01false578.8Sec. 578.8NATIONAL DEFENSEDEPARTMENT OF THE ARMYPERSONNELDECORATIONS, MEDALS, RIBBONS, AND SIMILAR DEVICES
Sec. 578.8  Legion of Merit.

    The Legion of Merit, established by Act of Congress July 20, 1942, 
is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or of 
a friendly foreign nation who has distinguished himself or herself by 
exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding 
services. See figure 1.
    (a) Criteria for Armed Forces of the United States. (1) The 
performance must have been such as to merit recognition of key 
individuals for service rendered in a clearly exceptional manner. 
Superior performance of duties normal to the grade, branch, specialty, 
or assignment, and experience of an individual is not an adequate basis 
for this award.
    (2) For service not related to actual war, the term ``key 
individuals'' applies to a narrower range of positions than in time of 
war and requires evidence of significant achievement. Such service, 
performed in peacetime, should be in the nature of a special requirement 
or the performance of an extremely difficult duty in an unprecedented 
and clearly exceptional manner. However, justification of the award may 
accrue by virtue of exceptionally meritorious service in a succession of 
important positions.
    (3) The accomplishment of the duty should have been completed prior 
to submitting a recommendation, or if the person being recommended has 
been transferred prior to completion, the accomplishment must have 
progressed to what may be clearly determined to be an exceptional 
degree.
    (4) Awards will be made without reference to degree and for each 
such award, the Legion of Merit (Legionnaire) will be issued.
    (b) Criteria for armed forces of foreign nations. (1) See AR 672-7 
(Army Regulations pertaining to Legion of Merit for foreign nationals).
    (2) Each award will be made in one of the following degrees, which 
are listed in order or rank:
    (i) Chief Commander.
    (ii) Commander.
    (iii) Officer.
    (iv) Legionnaire.
    (3) Awards of this decoration in the degrees of Chief Commander and 
Commander are comparable to awards of the Distinguished-Service Medal 
and the standards prescribed in Sec. 578.6 (a) will be applied in 
considering such awards.
    (4) Awards in the lesser degrees of this decoration are comparable 
to awards of the Legion of Merit to members of the Armed Forces of the 
United States and the standards prescribed in paragraph (a) of this 
section are applicable.
    (5) Second or succeeding awards of this decoration will be in the 
same or a higher degree than the previous award.
    (c) Description--(1) Chief Commander. A domed five-pointed American 
white star plaque of heraldic form bordered in purplish-red enamel 2\15/
16\ inches circumscribing diameter with 13 white stars on a blue field 
emerging from a circle of clouds; backing the star, a laurel wreath with 
pierced, crossed arrows pointing outward between each arm of the star 
and the wreath. The reverse is engraved with the words ``United States 
of America.''
    (2) Commander. A five-pointed American white star of heraldic form 
bordered in purplish-red enamel 2\1/4\-inches circumscribing diameter 
with 13 white stars on a blue field emerging from a

[[Page 398]]

circle of clouds; backing the star, a laurel wreath with pierced, 
crossed arrows pointing outward between each arm of the star and the 
wreath. A bronze wreath connects an oval suspension ring to a neck 
ribbon. The reverse of the five-pointed star is enameled in white. 
bordered in purplish-red enamel; in the center is a disk surrounded by 
the words ``Annuit Coeptis'' and ``MDCCLXXXII,'' and on the scroll are 
the words ``United States of America.'' The moired silk neck ribbon is 
21\1/4\ inches in length and 1\15/16\ inches in width composed of a bank 
of purplish-red (1\13/16\-inches) with edges of white (\1/16\-inch).
    (3) Officer. A five-pointed American white star of heraldic form 
bordered in purplish-red enamel 1\7/8\-inches circumscribing diameter 
with 13 white stars on a blue field emerging from a circle of clouds; 
backing the star, a laurel wreath with modeled, crossed arrows pointing 
outward between each arm of the star and the wreath, and an all-bronze 
device of the same design as the pendant \3/4\ inch in diameter on the 
center of the suspension ribbon. On the reverse is a disk surrounded by 
the words ``Annuit Coeptis'' and ``MDCCLXXXII,'' and on the scroll are 
the words ``United States of America.'' The pendant is suspended by a 
moired silk ribbon 1\7/8\ inches in length and 1\3/8\ inches in width, 
composed of a bank of purplish-red (1\1/4\-inches) with edges of white 
(\1/16\-inch).
    (4) Legionnaire. Same as prescribed in paragraph (c)(3) of this 
section, except the all-bronze device is not worn on the ribbon.

(Sec. 1121, 70A Stat. 88; 10 U.S.C. 1121, E.O. 9260, October 29, 1942, 7 
FR 8819, 3 CFR, 1943 Cum. Supp.)

[21 FR 7672, Oct. 6, 1956, as amended at 22 FR 9692, Dec. 4, 1957]