The following lists indicate the order of precedence within each category, when two or more medals from each category are worn at the same time.
a. U.S. military decorations. A decoration is an award given to an individual as a distinctively designed mark of honor denoting heroism, or meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. U.S. military decorations authorized for wear on Army uniforms are listed below in order of precedence.
(1) Medal of Honor (Army, Navy, Air Force).
(2) Distinguished Service Cross.
(3) Navy Cross.
(4) Air Force Cross.
(5) Defense Distinguished Service Medal.
(6) Distinguished Service Medal (Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard).
(7) Silver Star.
(8) Defense Superior Service Medal.
(9) Legion of Merit.
(10) Distinguished Flying Cross.
(11) Soldier’s Medal.
(12) Navy and Marine Corps Medal.
(13) Airman’s Medal.
(14) Coast Guard Medal.
(15) Bronze Star Medal.
(16) Purple Heart.
(17) Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
(18) Meritorious Service Medal.
(19) Air Medal.
(20) Aerial Achievement Medal
(21) Joint Service Commendation Medal.
(22) Army Commendation Medal.
(23) Navy Commendation Medal.
(24) Air Force Commendation Medal.
(25) Coast Guard Commendation Medal.
(26) Joint Service Achievement Medal.
(27) Army Achievement Medal.
(28) Navy Achievement Medal.
(29) Air Force Achievement Medal.
(30) Coast Guard Achievement Medal.
(31) Combat Action Ribbon.
b. U.S. unit awards. A unit award is given to an operating unit and is worn by members of that unit who participated in the cited action. Personnel who did not participate in the cited action, but who are assigned in the cited unit, are authorized temporary wear of some unit awards. U. S. unit awards authorized for wear on Army uniforms are listed below in their order of precedence.
(1) Presidential Unit Citation (Army, Air Force).
(2) Presidential Unit Citation (Navy).
(3) Joint Meritorious Unit Award.
(4) Valorous Unit Award.
(5) Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army).
(6) Navy Unit Commendation.
(7) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
(8) Coast Guard Unit Commendation.
(9) Army Superior Unit Award.
(10) Meritorious Unit Commendation (Navy).
(11) Navy E Ribbon.
(12) Air Force Organizational Excellence Award.
(13) Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation.
c. U.S. non-military decorations. U.S. non-military decorations authorized for wear on Army uniforms are listed below in their order of precedence. Personnel will wear other U.S. non-military (Federal agency) decorations based upon date of receipt. If more than one decoration is awarded by the same agency, the decorations are worn in the order of precedence, as established by the awarding agency. Personnel will not wear U.S. non-military decorations that duplicate recognition for service or an act for which a military decoration has already been awarded. Awards given by a jurisdiction inferior to the Federal Government are not authorized for wear on the Army uniform, except as specified in paragraph j, below.
(1) Presidential Medal of Freedom.
(2) Presidential Citizen’s Medal.
(3) President’s Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service Award.
(4) Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award.
(5) Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom.
(6) Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
(7) Office of the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Award.
(8) Surgeon General’s Exemplary Service Medal.
(9) NASA Space Flight Medal.
(10) Public Health Service Commendation Medal.
(11) Public Health Service Achievement Medal.
(12) Department of State Superior Honor Award.
(13) Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service.
(14) Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
(15) Superior Civilian Service Award.
(16) Commander’s Award for Civilian Service.
(17) Achievement Medal for Civilian Service.
d. U.S. service (campaign) medals, and service and training ribbons. U.S. service (campaign) medals, and service and training ribbons authorized for wear on the uniform are listed below, in their order of precedence. Personnel may wear service medals and service and training ribbons awarded by other U.S. Services on the Army uniform, except for the Air Force Longevity Service Award ribbon and Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard marksmanship medals and ribbons. Personnel will wear service and training medals and ribbons awarded by other U.S. Services after U.S. Army service and training ribbons, and before foreign awards.
(1) Prisoner of War Medal.
(2) Good Conduct Medal. Good Conduct Medals from the other Services follow the Army Good Conduct Medal in order of precedence. The Army reserve components Achievement Medal and equivalents awarded by other Service reserve components follow the Army Good Conduct Medal and Good Conduct Medals from the other U.S. Services, in order of precedence.
(3) American Defense Service Medal.
(4) Women’s Army Corps Service Medal.
(5) American Campaign Medal.
(6) Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.
(7) European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.
(8) World War II Victory Medal.
(9) Army of Occupation Medal.
(10) Medal for Humane Action.
(11) National Defense Service Medal.
(12) Korean Service Medal.
(13) Antarctica Service Medal.
(14) Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
(15) Vietnam Service Medal.
(16) Southwest Asia Service Medal.
(17) Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.
(18) Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
(19) Kosovo Campaign Medal.
(20) Korean Defense Service Medal.
(21) Armed Forces Service Medal.
(22) Humanitarian Service Medal.
(23) Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
(24) Armed Forces Reserve Medal.
(25) NCO Professional Development Ribbon.
(26) Army Service Ribbon.
(27) Overseas Service Ribbon.
(28) Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon.
(29) Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon.
(30) Air Force Combat Readiness Medal.
(31) Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
e. U.S. Merchant Marine awards. Listed below in their order of precedence are the U.S. Merchant Marine awards
authorized for wear on the Army uniform.
(1) Distinguished Service Medal.
(2) Meritorious Service Medal.
(3) Gallant Ship Citation.
(4) Mariner’s Medal.
(5) Combat Medal.
(6) Defense Medal.
(7) Atlantic War Zone Medal.
(8) Pacific War Zone Medal.
(9) Mediterranean-Middle East War Zone Medal.
(10) Victory Medal.
(11) Korean Service Medal.
(12) Vietnam Service Medal.
(13) Expeditionary Medal.
(14) Philippine Defense Ribbon.
(15) Philippine Liberation Ribbon.
f. U.S. non-military unit awards. The Public Health Service Unit Award and the National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation are authorized for wear on the Army uniform.
g. Foreign military decorations. Personnel who are specifically authorized by law to accept decorations from foreign governments may wear them in the order of their receipt after all U.S. decorations, the Good Conduct Medal, campaign and service medals, and service and training ribbons. (See chap 9, AR 600-8-22, for application procedures to request authorization to accept and wear foreign decorations.) Personnel may not wear any foreign decorations on the uniform unless at least one U.S. decoration or service medal is worn at the same time. Personnel will not wear foreign awards that do not conform to the standard U.S. size ribbon bar or medal.
h. Foreign unit awards. The following foreign unit awards, listed in their order of precedence, are authorized for wear on the Army uniform, when at least one U.S. decoration, service medal, or ribbon is worn at the same time.
(1) Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation.
(2) Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
(3) Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation.
(4) Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.
(5) Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation.
(6) Fourrageres (no order of precedence).
(a) French Fourragere.
(b) Belgian Fourragere.
(c) Netherlands Orange Lanyard.
i. Non-U.S. service awards. The following non-U.S. service awards, listed in their order of precedence, are authorized for wear on the Army uniform when at least one U.S. decoration, service medal, or ribbon is worn at the same time. An individual may not wear any other foreign service medal, unless the wearer was awarded such medal while a bona fide member of the armed forces of a friendly foreign nation and has received HQDA approval to wear the medal or ribbon. (See chap 9, AR 600-8-22, for application procedures to request authorization to accept and wear foreign service medals or ribbons.)
(1) Philippine Defense Ribbon.
(2) Philippine Liberation Ribbon.
(3) Philippine Independence Ribbon.
(4) United Nations Service Medal.
(5) Inter-American Defense Board Medal.
(6) United Nations Medal.
(7) NATO Medal.
(8) Multinational Force and Observers Medal.
(9) Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
(10) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia).
(11) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait).
(12) Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
j. State awards for ARNG soldiers. Army National Guard personnel are authorized to wear State awards under applicable State laws or regulations when assigned to the ARNG under the command and control of the Governor or Adjutant General, under the provisions of title 32, United States Code. The term “State” includes the 50 states, U.S. territories (which include Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The following personnel statuses are included in this authorization: Active Guard Reserve (AGR); active duty for training (ADT), active duty for special work (ADSW); full-time National Guard duty (FTNGD) for special work or training, annual training; and inactive duty training (drill status), including periods when personnel may be attached to the active component or reserve of any service, whether paid or unpaid. Personnel will wear such awards in the State order of precedence, after Federal and foreign awards. Soldiers on active Federal Service, under the provisions of title 10, United States Code, are authorized to accept but not wear State or Territory awards.