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Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
Encyclopedia
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States
military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United States armed forces
or other Uniformed services
. There is also the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service
which is the highest medal that can be awarded to a career government employee.
The Distinguished Service Medal was authorized by Presidential Order dated January 2, 1918, and confirmed by Congress on July 9, 1918.
The Distinguished Service Medal is issued both as a military decoration
and civilian award
. The Army version of the Distinguished Service Medal is typically referred to simply as the "Distinguished Service Medal" while the other branches of service use the service name as a prefix. The following versions (awarded by the agency or department head) of the Distinguished Service Medal are currently issued by the United States government:
provided to civilian employees within agencies of the federal government of the United States
. In order of precedence, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award (DCSA) often precedes the agency's Meritorious Civilian Service Award
.
The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force use the term, Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service for its highest honorary award:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United States armed forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
or other Uniformed services
Uniformed services of the United States
The United States has seven federal uniformed services that commission officers as defined by Title 10, and subsequently structured and organized by Title 10, Title 14, Title 33 and Title 42 of the United States Code.-Uniformed services:...
. There is also the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service
President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service
Established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on 27 June 1957 by , the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service was created to allow the President to recognize civilian officers or employees of the federal government who have made contributions "so outstanding that the officer...
which is the highest medal that can be awarded to a career government employee.
The Distinguished Service Medal was authorized by Presidential Order dated January 2, 1918, and confirmed by Congress on July 9, 1918.
The Distinguished Service Medal is issued both as a military decoration
Awards and decorations of the United States military
Awards and decorations of the United States Military are military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces...
and civilian award
Civilian decorations of the United States
Civilian decorations of the United States are civil decorations of the United States of America which are bestowed by various agencies of the United States government for acts of accomplishment benefiting the nation as a whole. Contrary to the awards and decorations of the United States military,...
. The Army version of the Distinguished Service Medal is typically referred to simply as the "Distinguished Service Medal" while the other branches of service use the service name as a prefix. The following versions (awarded by the agency or department head) of the Distinguished Service Medal are currently issued by the United States government:
Military and national defense
- Defense Distinguished Service MedalDefense Distinguished Service MedalThe Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States...
- Army Distinguished Service MedalDistinguished Service Medal (Army)The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
- Navy Distinguished Service MedalNavy Distinguished Service MedalThe Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration is the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Coast...
- Air Force Distinguished Service MedalAir Force Distinguished Service MedalThe Air Force Distinguished Service Medal was created by an act of the United States Congress on July 6, 1960. The medal was intended as a new decoration of the United States Air Force to replace the policy of awarding the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Air Force personnel.The Air Force...
- Homeland Security Distinguished Service MedalHomeland Security Distinguished Service MedalThe Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States by the United States Department of Homeland Security...
- Transportation Distinguished Service Medal (superseded by Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal)
- Coast Guard Distinguished Service MedalCoast Guard Distinguished Service MedalThe Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal is a decoration of the United States Coast Guard that was created in August 1949 by order of the United States Congress. Prior to this date, members of the Coast Guard were eligible to receive the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.The Coast Guard...
Civilian
For non-military or civilians, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award or Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service is commonly the highest award and medalAwards and decorations of the United States government
Awards and decorations of the United States government are civilian awards of the U.S. federal government which are typically issued for sustained meritorious service, in a civilian capacity, while serving in the U.S. federal government. Certain U.S...
provided to civilian employees within agencies of the federal government of the United States
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
. In order of precedence, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award (DCSA) often precedes the agency's Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Meritorious Civilian Service Award
The Meritorious Civilian Service Award is commonly the second highest award and medal provided to civilian employees within agencies of the federal government of the United States...
.
- President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian ServicePresident's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian ServiceEstablished by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on 27 June 1957 by , the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service was created to allow the President to recognize civilian officers or employees of the federal government who have made contributions "so outstanding that the officer...
- Department of State Secretary's Distinguished Service Award
- Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service AwardDepartment of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service AwardThe Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award is the highest civilian award given by the United States Department of Defense. This award and accompanying Distinguished Civilian Service Medal is the Department's highest award given to career DoD civilian employees whose careers...
- Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award
- Navy Distinguished Civilian Service AwardNavy Distinguished Civilian Service AwardThe Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award is the highest honorary award the Secretary of the Navy can confer on a Department of the Navy civilian employee. The Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award will be granted only to those employees who have given distinguished or extraordinary service...
- Air Force Distinguished Civilian Service Medal
- NASA Distinguished Service MedalNASA Distinguished Service MedalThe NASA Distinguished Service Medal is the highest award which may be bestowed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States...
- National Intelligence Distinguished Service MedalNational Intelligence Distinguished Service MedalThe National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal is the highest decoration awarded for service to the United States Intelligence Community...
- National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service MedalNational Intelligence Distinguished Public Service MedalThe National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal is the highest award that can be granted to noncareer Federal employees, private citizens or others who have performed distinguished service of exceptional significance to the United States Intelligence Community...
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency Distinguished Service Medal
- Defense Commissary Agency Distinguished Service Medal
- ATF Distinguished Service Medal
- Department of Transportation Distinguished Service MedalDepartment of Transportation Distinguished Service MedalThe Transportation Distinguished Service Medal was the highest decoration which could be bestowed by the Secretary of Transportation for exceptional service to the United States government in a position of great responsibility to a member of the United States Coast Guard...
- Merchant Marine Distinguished Service MedalMerchant Marine Distinguished Service MedalThe Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal is a decoration of the United States Merchant Marine . The decoration is the highest award which can be bestowed upon members of that service and is the service’s equivalent of the Medal of Honor; since mariners serving in the United State Merchant...
- Department of Justice Distinguished Service Medal
- Department of Interior Distinguished Service Medal
The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force use the term, Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service for its highest honorary award:
- Department of the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian ServiceDepartment of the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian ServiceThe Department of the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service is the highest award that may be bestowed by or on behalf of the Secretary of the Army to Army civilian employees. The medal was approved by the War Department 29 December 1945. This award consists of a gold medal, lapel button...
- Department of the Air Force Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service
Private Sector and Unofficial Versions
- Civil Air Patrol Distinguished Service Medal