Army Valorous Unit Award

BACK DEVICE(s)

Description:

1. Awarded by the Department of the Army to units of the Armed Forces of the United States for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy of the United States under any of the following conditions: When engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force. While serving with friendly forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party for actions occurring on or after August 3, 1963.
2. The Valorous Unit Award requires a lesser degree of gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps than that required of the Presidential Unit Citation. Service members, when authorized, shall wear a bronze oak-leaf cluster for each additional award of the Valorous Unit Award they receive

Background:

1. As a result of a request from the Commander, USMACV, to expand the scope of the Meritorious Unit Commendation to include acts of valor, a review of the unit awards program was conducted in 1965. The study concluded that a gap existed in the awards program. The Distinguished Unit Citation was awarded for gallantry in action for heroism that would warrant the Distinguished Service Cross to an individual. There was no lesser unit award for heroism. Based on the study, a recommendation was submitted to expand the scope of the Meritorious Unit Commendation to include acts of heroism. The recommendation was disapproved by the DCSPER and in a memorandum to the CSA, dated 7 January 1966, the DCSPER recommended a Valorous Unit Award be adopted to signify unit gallantry in combat to a degree equivalent to that required for award of a Silver Star to an individual. The recommendation with proposed design was approved by the Chief of Staff, Army, on 12 January 1966.
2. The emblem is worn by all members of a cited organization and is considered an individual decoration for persons in connection with the cited acts and may be worn whether or not they continue as members of the organization. Other personnel may wear this decoration while serving with an organization to indicate the unit has been awarded the Valorous Unit Award.