Awards and Decorations Study Guide
Awards and Decorations Army Board Study Guide

Posted Sunday, June 25, 2006

What is the purpose of the D.A. Military Awards Program?
The objective of the DA Military Awards Program is to provide tangible recognition for acts of valor, exceptional service or achievement, special skills or qualifications, and acts of heroism not involving actual combat.

What is the highest peacetime award for valor?
The Soldiers Medal

During peacetime, who is the approving authority for the Soldier's Medal?
HQ Perscom

What is an Award?
A decoration, medal, badge, ribbon, or appurtenance bestowed on an individual or a unit

What is a decoration?
An award to an individual for a specific act of gallantry or service

What is DA Form 7013?
Certificate of Appreciation

What are the six groups that individual awards can be categorized into?

1. Decorations
2. Good Conduct Medal
3. Service Medals
4. Service Ribbons
5. Badges and Tabs
6. Certificates and Letters

What is the highest award given by the Army in time of war?
The Medal of Honor

What is engraved on the reverse side of the Medal of Honor?
The grade, name, and organization of the awardee are engraved on the reverse of the Medal of Honor.

What is engraved on the reverse side of every Decoration or Good Conduct Medal other than the Medal of Honor?
The name of the awardee only

How many stars are on the blue silk shield that the Army Medal of Honor is suspended from?
13

Who is the approving authority for the Medal of Honor?
The U.S. Congress

Who awards the Medal of Honor?
The President of the United States

What is the word inscribed on the suspension bar of the Medal of Honor?
"Valor"

Whose profile is on the Medal of Honor?
Minerva, the roman goddess of wisdom and righteous war

What is the order of precedence for the wearing of individual awards?

1. U.S. Military Decorations
2. U.S. Non-Military Decorations
3. Prisoner of War Medal
4. Good Conduct Medal
5. U.S. Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal
6. U.S. Service Medals and Service Ribbons
7. U.S. Merchant Marine Decorations
8. Foreign Decorations (Does not include Service Medals and Ribbons)
9. Non-U.S. Service Medals and Ribbons

Name the ribbon awarded to members of the US Army for successful completion of the Basic and AIT?
The Army Service Ribbon

What is the DA Form 2442?
Certificate of Achievement

What is the time limit for recommending an award?
Two Years

How many "V" devices may be worn on a ribbon?
Not more than 1

The “V” Device is authorized for wear on what decorations?

• Distinguished Flying Cross
• Bronze Star Medal
• Air Medal
• ARCOM
• Joint Service Commendation Medal

How many different weapons are authorized component bars?
19

For what is the Good Conduct Medal given?
For exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fidelity

What three words are inscribed on the front of the Good Conduct Medal?
Honor, Efficiency, and Fidelity

Who is the approving authority for the Good Conduct Medal?
The Company Commander

How often can you get the Good Conduct Medal?
Every 3 years

Who are the final approving authorities for the AAM, ARCOM, MSM, LM and DSM?

• AAM = Lieutenant Colonel and above
• ARCOM = Colonel and above
• MSM = Major General and above
• LM = Lieutenant General and above
• DSM = U.S. Army Chief of Staff

Who can make recommendations for an award?
Any person having knowledge of an outstanding act or achievement

To whom is the Purple Heart awarded?
To anyone, military or civilian, wounded or killed in action against an armed enemy

What is the second highest award for valor?
The Distinguished Service Cross

What was the first medal awarded in the U.S. Army?
The Purple Heart

In the order of precedence, what are the U.S. Unit Awards authorized for wear on Army Uniforms?

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.

What was the Purple Heart initially awarded for?
It was awarded for valor in the revolutionary war

What is a DA Form 4950?
Good Conduct Medal Certificate

What decoration has George Washington's picture on it?
The Purple Heart

Who is the approving authority for the Army Achievement Medal?
The battalion commander

What is a DA Form 87?
Certificate of Training

What words are inscribed on the reverse side of the AAM?
For Military Achievement

What words are inscribed on the reverse side of the ARCOM?
For Military Merit

What is a Fourragere?
A ropelike device worn to signify the award of a foreign decoration

When can a unit award be worn?
When serving with a unit that received an award or if you were assigned to the unit when the award was assigned

Name the four Special Skills Tabs.

1. Ranger
2. Special Forces
3. Presidents Hundred
4. Sapper

What Army Regulation covers the wear and appearance of the military uniform?
AR 670-1

Name three appurtenances.

1. Oak leaf clusters
2. “V” Devices
3. Numerals
4. Clasps
5. Service Stars
6. Arrowhead
7. Berlin Airlift Device
8. Ten-Year Device
9. “M” Device

If the number of authorized oak leaf clusters exceeds four and will not fit on a single ribbon, what will happen?
A second ribbon is authorized for wear. When the second ribbon is worn, it is placed after the first ribbon; the second ribbon counts as one award. Personnel may wear no more than four oak leaf clusters on each ribbon. If the receipt of future awards reduces the number of oak leaf clusters sufficiently (that is, a silver oak leaf for five awards), personnel will remove the second ribbon and place the appropriate number of devices on a single ribbon.

What DA Form is used to recommend /request an award?
DA Form 638

What Army Regulation governs Awards and Decorations?
AR 600-8-22

When was the Medal of Honor established?
1862

Why is the Purple Heart different than all the other decorations?
While clearly an individual decoration, the Purple Heart differs from all other decorations in that an individual is not “recommended” for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria.

What are the three U.S. Army Combat Badges?

1. Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB)
2. Combat Action Badge (CAB)
3. Combat Medical Badge (CMB)

Who is eligible to be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB)?
Personnel in the grade of Colonel or below with an infantry or special forces military occupational specialty who have satisfactorily performed duty while assigned as a member of an infantry/special forces unit, brigade or smaller size, during any period subsequent to 6 December 1941 when the unit was engaged in active ground combat. There is specific criteria for each conflict that must also be met.

What are the four specific eligibility requirements for the Combat Action Badge (CAB)?

1. May be awarded to any soldier.
2. Soldier must be performing assigned duties in an area where hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay is authorized.
3. Soldier must be personally present and actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy, and performing satisfactorily in accordance with the prescribed rules of engagement.
4. Soldier must not be assigned/attached to a unit that would qualify the soldier for the CIB/CMB.

Can the Combat Action Badge be awarded to members of the other U.S. Armed Forces and foreign Soldiers?
Yes, provided they were assigned to a U.S. Army unit and meet the four specific eligibility requirements for the award of the CAB.

May Soldiers may be awarded the CIB, CMB and CAB for the same qualifying period?
Yes, provided the criteria for each badge is met. However, subsequent awards of the same badge within the same qualifying period are not authorized.

Who is eligible to be awarded the Combat Medical Badge (CMB)?
The following medical personnel, assigned or attached by appropriate orders to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size, or to a medical unit of company or smaller size, organic to an infantry unit of brigade or smaller size, during any period the infantry unit is engaged in actual ground combat are eligible for award of the badge, provided they are personally present and under fire during such ground combat:
 

1. Subsequent to 6 December 1941 – Army Medical Department (Colonels and below), the Navy Medical Department (Captains and below), the Air Force Medical Service (Colonels and below), assigned or attached to the Army, who have satisfactorily performed medical duties.
2. Subsequent to 19 December 1989 – Special Forces personnel possessing military occupational specialty 18D (Special Operations Medical Sergeant) who satisfactorily performed medical duties while assigned or attached to a Special Forces unit during any period the unit is engaged in actual ground combat, provided they are personally present and under fire. Retroactive awards are not authorized.
3. Subsequent to 16 January 1991 – Personnel outlined in (1) above, assigned or attached to Armor or ground Cavalry units of brigade or smaller size, who satisfactorily performed medical duties while the unit is engaged in actual ground combat, provided they are personally present and under fire. Retroactive awards are not authorized.
4. Subsequent to 11 September 2001 – Personnel outlined in (1) and (3) above, assigned or attached to or under operational control of any ground Combat Arms units (not to include members assigned or attached to Aviation units) of brigade or smaller size, who satisfactorily performed medical duties while the unit is engaged in actual ground combat provided they are personally present and under fire. Retroactive awards are not authorized.

Awards will not be made to general or flag officers. Specific eligibility requirements by geographic area are listed in Army Regulation 600-8-22.