Title 32: National Defense
PART 578—DECORATIONS, MEDALS, RIBBONS, AND SIMILAR DEVICES
General
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§ 578.61 Appurtenances to military decorations.
Appurtenances are devices affixed to service or suspension ribbons or worn instead of medals or ribbons. They are worn to denote additional awards, participation in a specific event, or other distinguished characteristics of the award. The following is a list of authorized appurtenances:
(a) Oak Leaf Clusters. A bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem, 13/32-inch long for the suspension ribbon, and 5/16-inch long for the service ribbon bar and the unit award emblem is issued to denote award of second and succeeding awards of decorations (other than the Air Medal), the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, and unit awards. A silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn instead of five bronze Oak Leaf Clusters. If the number of authorized Oak Leaf Clusters exceeds four and will not fit on a single ribbon, a second ribbon is authorized for wear. When wearing the second ribbon, place it after the first ribbon; the second ribbon counts as one award. 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 cluster for five awards), remove the second ribbon and place the appropriate number of devices on a single ribbon. Oak Leaf Clusters are not issued for the Legion of Merit awarded in degrees to foreign nationals. Five-sixteenths inch Oak Leaf Clusters joined together in series of 2, 3, and 4 clusters are authorized for optional purchase and wear on service ribbons, and unit award emblems.
(b) Numerals. Arabic numerals 3/16 inch in height are issued instead of a medal or ribbon for second and succeeding awards of the Air Medal, Multinational Force and Observers Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon and the Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon. The ribbon denotes the first award and numerals starting with the numeral 2 denote the number of additional awards. The numeral worn on the NCO Professional Development Ribbon will denote the highest completed level of NCO development. The numerals are to be centered on the suspension ribbon of the medal or the ribbon bar.
(c) “V” device. The “V” (Valor) device is a bronze block letter, V, 1/4-inch high with serifs at the top of the members. It is worn to denote participation in acts of heroism involving conflict with an armed enemy. It was originally worn only on the suspension and service ribbons of the Bronze Star Medal to denote an award made for heroism (valor). Effective February 29, 1964, the “V” device was also authorized for wear on the Air Medal and Army Commendation Medal for heroic acts or valorous deeds not warranting awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross or the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device. Effective June 25, 1963, the “V” device was authorized additionally for wear on the Joint Service Commendation Medal when the award is for acts of valor (heroism) during participation in combat operations. In the case of multiple “V” devices for the same award, only one “V” device is worn on the service ribbons.
(d) “M” device. The “M” (Mobilization) Device is a bronze letter, M, 1/4-inch high with serifs at the bottom of the members. It is authorized for wear on the Armed Forces Reserve Medal by members of the Reserve Components who are called or who volunteer and serve on active duty in support of specific U.S. Military operations or contingencies designated by the Secretary of Defense, as defined in 10 U.S.C. 101(a) (13). AGR members who receive orders changing their current duty status (legal authority under which they perform duty), their duty location, or assignment to support a contingency operation are also eligible for award of the “M” Device.
(e) Clasps. They are authorized for wear on the Army Good Conduct Medal, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, and Antarctica Service Medal. All clasps, except the Army Good Conduct Medal clasp, are worn only on the suspension ribbon of the medal. The clasps are described as follows:
(1) The Army Good Conduct Medal clasp is a bar 1/8-inch by 13/8 inches, of bronze, silver or gold, with loops indicative of each period of service. Paragraph 4–9 describes the clasps authorized for second and subsequent awards of the Army Good Conduct Medal.
(2) The World War I Victory Medal battle clasps is a bronze bar 1/8-inch by 11/2 inches with the name of the campaign or the words “Defensive Sector,” and with a star at each end of the inscription. The campaigns are as follows:
(i) Cambrai;
(ii) Somme, Defensive;
(iii) Lys;
(iv) Aisne;
(v) Montdidier-Noyon;
(vi) Champagne-Marne;
(vii) Aisne-Marne;
(viii) Somme, Offensive;
(ix) Oise-Aisne;
(x) Ypres-Lys;
(xi) St. Mihiel;
(xii) Meuse-Argonne;
(xiii) Vittorio-Veneto;
(xiv) Defensive Sector.
(3) The World War I Victory Medal service clasp is a bronze bar 1/8-inch by 11/2 inches with the name of the country which the service was performed inscribed thereon. The service clasps authorized are as follows:
(i) England;
(ii) France;
(iii) Italy;
(iv) Russia;
(v) Siberia.
(4) The American Defense Service Medal clasp is a bronze bar 1/8-inch by 11/2 inches with the words “Foreign Service” and with a star at each end of the inscription.
(5) The Army of Occupation Medal clasp is a bronze bar 1/8-inch by 11/2 inches with the word “Germany” or “Japan” inscribed thereon, to denote occupation duty rendered in Europe and/or the Far East.
(6) The Antarctica Service Medal is a clasp bearing the words “Wintered Over” for wear on the suspension ribbon of the medal awarded in bronze for the first winter, in gold for the second winter, and in silver for the third winter.
(f) Service stars. Are worn on campaign and service ribbons to denote an additional award. The service star is a bronze or silver five-pointed star 3/16-inch in diameter. A silver star is worn instead of five bronze service stars. The bronze service star is also affixed to the parachutist badge to denote participation in a combat parachutist jump, retroactive to December 7, 1941. See §578.74 on Parachutist badges for criteria for award of the combat parachutist badge. See AR 670–1 for proper wear of the service stars. Service stars are authorized for wear on the following campaign and service medals and or ribbons:
(1) World War I Victory Medal;
(2) American Defense Service Medal;
(3) American Campaign Medal;
(4) Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal;
(5) European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal;
(6) Korean Service Medal;
(7) Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal;
(8) Vietnam Service Medal;
(9) National Defense Service Medal;
(10) Humanitarian Service Medal;
(11) Prisoner of War Medal;
(12) Southwest Asia Service Medal;
(13) Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
(g) Arrowhead. The arrowhead is a bronze replica of an Indian arrowhead 1/4-inch high. It denotes participation in a combat parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing, while assigned or attached as a member of an organized force carrying out an assigned tactical mission. A soldier must actually exit the aircraft or watercraft, as appropriate, to receive assault credit. Individual assault credit is tied directly to the combat assault credit decision for the unit to which the soldier is attached or assigned at the time of the assault. Should a unit be denied assault credit, no assault credit will accrue to the individual soldiers of that unit. It is worn on the service and suspension ribbons of the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign, Korean Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary. Only one arrowhead will be worn on any ribbon.
(h) Ten-Year Device. The Ten-year device is authorized for wear on the Armed Forces Reserve Medal to denote each succeeding 10-year period as follows:
(1) A bronze hourglass shall be awarded upon completion of the first 10-year period award.
(2) A silver hourglass shall be awarded upon completion of the second 10-year period award.
(3) A gold hourglass shall be awarded upon completion of the third 10-year period award.
(4) A gold hourglass, followed by a bronze hourglass shall be awarded upon completion of the fourth 10-year period award.
(i) Berlin Airlift Device. A gold colored metal miniature of a C–54 type aircraft of 3/8-inch wingspan, other dimensions proportionate. It is worn on the service and suspension ribbons of the Army of Occupation Medal. (See §578.46 Army of Occupation Medal)
(j) Army Astronaut Device. A gold colored device, 7/16-inches in length, consisting of a star emitting three contrails encircled by an elliptical orbit. It is awarded by the Chief of Staff, Army, to personnel who complete a minimum of one operational mission in space (50 miles above earth) and is affixed to the appropriate Army Aviator Badge, Flight Surgeon Badge, or Aviation Badge awarded to the astronaut. Individuals who have not been awarded one of the badges listed above but who meet the other astronaut criteria will be awarded the basic Aviation Badge with Army Astronaut Device.
