The National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal is the highest decoration awarded for service to the United States Intelligence Community

United States Intelligence Community

The United States Intelligence Community is a cooperative federation of 16 separate United States government agencies that work separately and together to conduct intelligence activities considered necessary for the conduct of foreign relations and the protection of the national security of the...

. The decoration is awarded to any member or contributor to the National Intelligence Community, either civilian or military, who distinguishes themselves by meritorious actions to the betterment of national security in the United States of America.

The National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal was once considered junior to the older National Security Medal

National Security Medal

The National Security Medal was a decoration of the United States of America officially established by President Harry S. Truman in Executive Order 10431 of January 19, 1953...

.. With the establishment of the National Intelligence Awards (NIA) Program by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal has become the highest decoration in the intelligence community.

As an authorized U.S. non-military decoration on U.S. military uniforms, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal is worn after U.S. military unit awards

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 before U.S. military campaign and service awards.

Recipients

Confirmed recipients include:

James B. Adams James B. Adams James Blackburn Adams is a former attorney, Texas legislator, and acting director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.... , FBI Charles E. Allen Charles E. Allen Charles E. Allen is an American public servant, notable for his roles at the United States Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis and, before that, the Central Intelligence Agency.-Department of Homeland Security:... , CIA, DHS Lew Allen Lew Allen Lew Allen, Jr. was a United States Air Force four-star General who served as the tenth Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force... , PFIAB Jean Bennett, USA Cofer Black Cofer Black Joseph Cofer Black is an American counter-terrorism expert and consultant. He had a 28-year career in the Directorate of Operations at the Central Intelligence Agency, culminating in his appointment as Director of the CIA's Counterterrorist Center in June 1999... , CIA Dennis C. Blair, Admiral Admiral Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"... , USN, USPACOM James R. Clapper James R. Clapper James R. Clapper, Jr. is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force and is currently the Director of National Intelligence. He was previously dual-hatted as the first Director of Defense Intelligence within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence alongside the position... , DIA Dia Dia is free and open source general-purpose diagramming software, developed originally by Alexander Larsson. Dia uses a controlled single document interface similar to GIMP and Sodipodi.- Features :... , NGA National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ... Larry Combest Larry Combest Larry Ed Combest is a retired Texas Republican U.S. politician who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1985 to 2003.-Early life:... , HPSCI United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence The United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is a committee of the United States House of Representatives, currently chaired by Mike Rogers. It is the primary committee in the U.S... Robert Daniel Robert Daniel Robert Williams Daniel, Jr. is a Virginia farmer, businessman, teacher, and politician who served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican. He was first elected in 1972 and served until 1983. He is a graduate of Woodberry Forest School, Woodberry Forest, Virginia... , HASC Sidney D. Drell, PFIAB Fritz Ermarth Fritz Ermarth Fritz W. Ermarth has been the Director of National Security Programs at the Nixon Center since 2002. He is also a part-time senior analyst for the Strategies Group at Science Applications International Corporation.... , CIA Martin C. Faga Martin C. Faga Martin C. Faga was the tenth Director of the National Reconnaissance Office .Faga directed the declassification of the existence of the NRO following more than 30-years of secrecy. He revolutionized NRO support to the military, downgraded the classification of NRO products, and appointed a Deputy... , NRO National Reconnaissance Office The National Reconnaissance Office , located in Chantilly, Virginia, is one of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. It designs, builds, and operates the spy satellites of the United States government.-Mission:... Alan A. Foley, CIA Robert Gates Robert Gates Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W.... , CIA Michael Hagee Michael Hagee General Michael W. Hagee was the 33rd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps , succeeding James L. Jones on January 13, 2003. He stepped down as Commandant two months before the end of his four-year term, and was succeeded by General James T. Conway on November 13, 2006... , General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... , USMC, CIA Jeffrey K. Harris Jeffrey K. Harris Jeffrey K. Harris is an American aerospace executive who served as eleventh Director of the National Reconnaissance Office from 1994-1996.-Life and career:... , NRO National Reconnaissance Office The National Reconnaissance Office , located in Chantilly, Virginia, is one of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. It designs, builds, and operates the spy satellites of the United States government.-Mission:... Richard Haver, ONI Office of Naval Intelligence The Office of Naval Intelligence was established in the United States Navy in 1882. ONI was established to "seek out and report" on the advancements in other nations' navies. Its headquarters are at the National Maritime Intelligence Center in Suitland, Maryland... Frank Barrett Horton III, USAF, CIA Joanne Isham, CIA Lowell E. Jacoby Lowell E. Jacoby Vice Admiral Lowell Edwin Jacoby, USN was the 14th Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Previously he was in the from 1999 to 2002, and the Director of Naval Intelligence and Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence from 1997 to 1999. He was the from 1994 to 1997 and Commander, from... , Admiral Admiral Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"... , USN, DIA Dia Dia is free and open source general-purpose diagramming software, developed originally by Alexander Larsson. Dia uses a controlled single document interface similar to GIMP and Sodipodi.- Features :...

Roland Lajoie, Major General, USA United States Army The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services... Mark M. Lowenthal Mark M. Lowenthal Dr. Mark Lowenthal is an author and Adjunct Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University. Lowenthal has written five books and over 90 articles or studies on intelligence and national security... , CIA Barbara McNamara Barbara McNamara Barbara A. McNamara was the NSA's Deputy Director from October 1997 until June 2000, prior to becoming NSA's Senior U.S. Liaison Officer in London, England After joining the agency in 1963 as a Chinese linguist, she rose through a number of analytic, operational, and managerial positions before... , NSA John Michael McConnell, Vice Adm, USN, DNI Richard W. Mies Richard W. Mies Admiral Richard Willard Mies was the fourth Commander in Chief, from 1998 to 2001, of United States Strategic Command, located at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Admiral Mies graduated first in his class from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science degree with majors in... , Admiral Admiral Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"... , USN Kenneth Minihan Kenneth Minihan Lieutenant General Kenneth A. Minihan is a former director of the National Security Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency .... , LtGen, USAF, DIA Dia Dia is free and open source general-purpose diagramming software, developed originally by Alexander Larsson. Dia uses a controlled single document interface similar to GIMP and Sodipodi.- Features :... , NSA Thomas S. Moorman Jr., USAF James W. Pardew James W. Pardew James W. Pardew is an American diplomat and former U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria.He was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Pardew is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and earned a B.S. degree in Journalism at Arkansas State University in 1966 and an M.A. in Political Science at Loyola University of... , JCS/J-2 Nickolas Piazzola, NSA Richard Proto, NSA Oliver Revell, NSC United States National Security Council The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the... Warren B. Rudman, PFIAB Steven T. Shanzer, DIA Dia Dia is free and open source general-purpose diagramming software, developed originally by Alexander Larsson. Dia uses a controlled single document interface similar to GIMP and Sodipodi.- Features :... Francis X. Taylor Francis X. Taylor Francis Xavier Taylor was the United States Coordinator for Counterterrorism from 2001 to 2002 and Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security from 2002 to 2005.-Biography:... , USAF Louis W. Tordella Louis W. Tordella Louis W. Tordella was the longest serving deputy director of the NSA.Tordella was born in Garrett, Indiana, on May 1, 1911 and grew up in the Chicago environs. He displayed an early affinity for mathematics, and obtained bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in the 1930s... , NSA Alan Wade, CIA Jeffrey White Jeffrey White Jeffrey Steven White is a United States federal judge serving on the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. He was appointed to the Federal Bench by President George W. Bush on July 25, 2002, and received his commission on November 15, 2002.-Early life, education,... , DIA Dia Dia is free and open source general-purpose diagramming software, developed originally by Alexander Larsson. Dia uses a controlled single document interface similar to GIMP and Sodipodi.- Features :... James A. Williams James A. Williams James A. Williams was a United States Army lieutenant general. Williams served as Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency in the 1980s. He is a 1987 inductee of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame and is the chairman of the board of directors for the National Military Intelligence... , LtGen, USA, DIA Dia Dia is free and open source general-purpose diagramming software, developed originally by Alexander Larsson. Dia uses a controlled single document interface similar to GIMP and Sodipodi.- Features :... Bassem Youssef Bassem Youssef Bassem Youssef is the highest ranking Arab-American agent employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is currently a Unit Chief in the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. Prior to holding his current position, Youssef coordinated the national counterterrorism investigation into the Islamic... , FBI Arthur A. Zuehlke, DIA Dia Dia is free and open source general-purpose diagramming software, developed originally by Alexander Larsson. Dia uses a controlled single document interface similar to GIMP and Sodipodi.- Features :... David J. Dorsett David J. Dorsett David John “Jack” Dorsett is a retired vice admiral of the U.S. Navy and was the first Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Dominance and 63rd Director of Naval Intelligence... , VADM, USN

National Intelligence Community Awards
	National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
	Intelligence Community Medal for Valor Intelligence Community Medal for Valor The Intelligence Community Medal for Valor is a decoration of the United States Intelligence Community awarded by the National Intelligence Awards Program led by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence ....  (ICMV)
	National Intelligence Career Achievement Medal (NICAM)
	National Intelligence Reform Medal (NIRM)
	National Intelligence Achievement Medal (NIAM)
	Director of National Intelligence Award for Collaborative Leadership (DNIACL)
	National Intelligence Community Equal Opportunity and Diversity Award (NICEEODA)
	Intelligence Community EEO and Diversity Exemplary Leadership Award
	Intelligence Community EEO and Diversity Outstanding Achievement Award
	National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Commendation (NIMUC)
	National Intelligence Medallion (NIM)
	National Intelligence Certificate of Distinction (NICD)
	National Intelligence Special Act or Service Award (NISASA)
	Galileo Award Galileo Award The Galileo Award recognizes innovative and creative solutions to the United States future intelligence challenges. It is normally granted on the basis of competitively judged papers submitted annually by individuals for juried review and is open to all eligible USG civilian and military...

See also

• Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
  Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
  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...
  
  
• National Security Medal
  National Security Medal
  The National Security Medal was a decoration of the United States of America officially established by President Harry S. Truman in Executive Order 10431 of January 19, 1953...
  
  
• Awards and decorations of the United States government