Who Can Earn Military Medals?

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Our military men and women devote their lives to the protection of our personal freedoms and national safety. As such, they are regarded as some of the most self-sacrificing, and courageous people in our country. One way we honor our military personnel is through the awarding of military medals. These medals are awarded to active and retired military personnel for numerous reasons. In order to be eligible for a military award medal, a person must have served in some capacity in the United States Army, United States Air Force, United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, or the United States Marine Corps. While civilian personnel can also obtain medals offered by these branches of military for their contributions and achievements, a military medal is different in that it can only be awarded to men and women who have served or currently serve in a branch of the military.

Military medals are typically given to members of service based on several factors. These factors can include length of service, service during times of war, specific tours of duty or military campaigns, and outstanding acts of valor and courage. Each type of military medal signifies an accomplishment by a service man or woman in one of these particular areas. Most commonly, medals of honor are given for outstanding acts of courage and patriotism during times of war. Each branch of the military has their own specific medals signifying these types of outstanding service and achievements. These types of medals are usually given automatically, with no requirement on the part of the service member to apply for them. It should be noted that the highest ranking military medal, the Congressional Medal of Honor, has also been presented to civilian personnel eight times since its inception.

Many achievements deserving of military medals are not automatically given by the branches of military. In other words, the service person must apply for, and receive the medal on their own. There are many ways this can be done, but if you are attempting to get a complete list of your earned awards and achievements for the length of your military service, you can simply refer to your military discharge papers, also called the DD-214. This paper will have a complete listing of your years of service, honors, and achievements. If you have achieved honors and accrued lengths of service deserving of military medals, you can then begin the process of applying for, and receiving your medals.

If you are a loved one of a veteran who is either incapable of obtaining their military medals or is perhaps deceased, you can still obtain a listing of their honors and achievements by which you can order their military medals. You will need to fill out a form SF-180 and return it to the National Personnel Records Center to be given the information you need to begin searching for your loved one’s military honors. Once you have received that information, you can apply for their medals or simply use a reputable reproduction company to order the medals outright.

Military personnel sacrifice much of their lives for our benefit. In some cases, their very lives are sacrificed so that we may enjoy the freedoms and liberties we have today. We can honor them by learning about, and appreciating the special military medals they are given to signify their lengths of service and particular achievements. Civilian personnel can also be given medals, though they are generally not military medals and are specific medals given to civilian personnel for contributions and achievements in the civilian sectors of the military. Many military medals are not given automatically; they must be applied for and received by either the service member themselves or by a loved one or family member.

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