A Brief History...

The Badge of Military Merit, established by Gen. George Washington on August 7th, 1782, was the first authorized United States military decoration. A piece of cloth in the form of a heart, this decoration was intended to recognize servicemen who displayed unusual gallantry or extraordinary fidelity. Only three are to have been awarded, and the award fell into disuse after the Revolutionary War. General Douglas MacArthur revived it as the Purple Heart in 1932.

The Medal of Honor was the next decoration to be specifically designed and authorized for United States service members. It was established on December 21st, 1861, by President Abraham Lincoln for enlisted men of the Navy and Marine Corps. Its use was later expanded to include enlisted men and officers of all services.

Since that time, many decorations have evolved. Changes in eligibility criteria have been made over the years, and, in some cases, decorations have fallen into disuse. However, the basic heraldry remains unchanged. The Medal of Honor remains the highest military decoration that this nation can bestow upon a service member, and lesser degrees of recognition are acknowledged by other decorations in descending order.

We have assembled illustrations and brief descriptions of the decorations and awards that may be earned by service members. For complete information for wearing individual decorations and awards please consult your service's regulations.