Awards and Decorations
The following video was created to be a help when studying for various Army Boards. The awards questions and answers were taken from the list of questions asked by board members during the board examinations.
This video is a tool for studying the questions and answers for the Awards and Decorations section of the Army promotion and other boards. The questions are given in one voice while the answers (responses) are given in another voice. You can let the Awards and Decorations section play in the background while you carry on with whatever activity you happen to be engaged in.
You’ve already been through a lot and have accomplished much. Be prepared for the Awards and Decorations section when you step in front of the board! In addition to listening and watching the video, it’s a good idea to read the questions often as well. The Awards and Decorations questions and answers are below.
Awards and Decorations Questions and Answers
What is the purpose of the D, A, Military Awards Program?
The objective of the DA Military Awards Program is to provide tangible recognition for acts of valor, exceptional service or achievement, special skills or qualifications, and acts of heroism not involving actual combat.
What is the highest peacetime award for valor?
The highest peacetime award for valor is the Soldier’s Medal.
During peacetime, who is the approving authority for the Soldier’s Medal?
The approving authority for the Soldier’s Medal during peacetime is Headquarters Perscom.
What is an Award?
An award is a decoration, medal, badge, ribbon, or appurtenance bestowed on an individual or a unit.
What is a decoration?
A decoration is an award to an individual for a specific act of gallantry or service.
What is DA Form 7013?
D A Form 7013 is a Certificate of Appreciation.
What are the six groups that individual awards can be categorized into?
The six groups that individual awards can be categorized as are, Decorations, Good Conduct Medal, Service Medals, Service Ribbons, Badges and Tabs, and Certificates and Letters.
What is the highest award given by the Army, in time of war?
The highest award given by the Army in time of war is the Medal of Honor.
What is engraved on the reverse side, of the Medal of Honor?
The grade, name, and organization of the awardee are engraved on the reverse of the Medal of Honor.
What is engraved, on the reverse side, of every Decoration or Good Conduct Medal, other than the Medal of Honor?
The name of the awardee is the only wording engraved on the reverse side of every Decoration or Good Conduct Medal, other than the Medal of Honor.
How many stars, are on the blue silk shield, that the Army Medal of Honor is suspended from?
There are 13 stars on the blue silk shield that the Army Medal of Honor is suspended from.
Who is the approving authority, for the Medal of Honor?
The U.S. Congress is the approving authority for the Medal of Honor.
Who awards, the Medal of Honor?
The President of the United States awards the Medal of Honor.
What is the word, inscribed on the suspension bar, of the Medal of Honor?
The word “Valor” is inscribed on the suspension bar of the Medal of Honor.
Whose profile, is on the Medal of Honor?
The profile on the Medal of Honor is, Minerva, the roman goddess of wisdom and righteous war.
What is the order of precedence, for the wearing of individual awards?
The order of precedence for the wearing of individual awards is the: U.S. Military Decorations, U.S. Non-Military Decorations, Prisoner of War Medal, Good Conduct Medal, U.S. Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, U.S. Service Medals and Service Ribbons, U.S. Merchant Marine Decorations, Foreign Decorations (Does not include Service Medals and Ribbons), and Non-U.S. Service Medals and Ribbons
- U.S. Military Decorations
- U.S. Non-Military Decorations
- Prisoner of War Medal
- Good Conduct Medal
- U.S. Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal
- U.S. Service Medals and Service Ribbons
- U.S. Merchant Marine Decorations
- Foreign Decorations (Does not include Service Medals and Ribbons)
- Non-U.S. Service Medals and Ribbons
Name the ribbon, awarded to members of the United States Army, for successful completion of the Basic and Advanced Individual Training?
The Army Service Ribbon is awarded to members of the US Army for successful completion of the Basic and AIT.
What is the DA Form 24 42?
DA Form 24 42 is the Certificate of Achievement
What is the time limit for recommending an award?
The time limit for recommending an award is Two Years.
How many, “V” devices, may be worn on a ribbon?
Not more than 1 “V” device may be worn on a ribbon.
The “V” Device, is authorized for wear, on what decorations?
The “V” device is authorized for wear on the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Arcom, and the Joint Service Commendation Medal.
How many different weapons, are authorized component bars?
19 different weapons are authorized component bars.
For what, is the Good Conduct Medal given?
The Good Conduct Medal is given for exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fidelity.
What three words, are inscribed on the front of the Good Conduct Medal?
The three words inscribed on the front of the Good Conduct Medal are, Honor, Efficiency, and Fidelity.
Who is the approving authority, for the Good Conduct Medal?
The Company Commander is is the approving authority for the Good Conduct Medal.
How often can you get the Good Conduct Medal?
The Good Conduct Medal may be received every 3 years.
Who are the final approving authorities, for the Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and the Distinguished Service Medal?
The final approving authorities for the Army Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and the Distinguished Service Medal are as follows.
- The Army Achievement Medal, Lieutenant Colonel and above.
- The Army commendation Medal, Colonel and above.
- The Meritorious Service Medal , Major General and above.
- The Legion of Merit, Lieutenant General and above.
- The Distinguished Service Medal, US Army Chief of Staff.
Who can make recommendations for an award?
Any person having knowledge of an outstanding act or achievement can make a recommendation for an award.
To whom, is the Purple Heart awarded?
The Purple Heart is awarded to anyone, military or civilian, wounded or killed in action against an armed enemy.
What is the second highest award for valor?
The second highest award for valor is the Distinguished Service Cross.
What was the first medal awarded, in the U.S. Army?
The first medal awarded in the US Army was the Purple Heart.
In the order of precedence, what are the U.S. Unit Awards, authorized for wear on Army Uniforms?
The US unit awards authorized for wear on the Army Uniforms, in order of precedence, are:
- The Presidential Unit Citation (Army, Air Force)
- The Presidential Unit Citation (Navy)
- The Joint Meritorious Unit Award. The Valorous Unit Award
- The Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army)
- The Navy Unit Commendation
- The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
- The Coast Guard Unit Commendation
- The Army Superior Unit Award
- The Meritorious Unit Commendation (Navy)
- The Navy “E” Ribbon
- The Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
- The Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation.
What was the Purple Heart initially awarded for?
The Purple Heart was initially awarded for valor in the revolutionary war.
What is a DA Form 49 50?
DA 4959 is the Good Conduct Medal Certificate.
What decoration, has George Washington’s picture on it?
The Purple Heart has George Washington’s picture on it.
Who is the approving authority, for the Army Achievement Medal?
The battalion commander is the approving authority for the Army Achievement Medal.
What is a D A Form 87?
DA form 87 is the Certificate of Training.
What words, are inscribed on the reverse side of the Army Achievement Medal?
The words inscribed on the reverse side of the Army Achievement Medal are:
For Military Achievement.
What words, are inscribed on the reverse side of the Army Commendation Medal?
The words inscribed on the reverse side of the Army Commendation Medal are:
For Military Merit.
What is a Fourragere?
A Fourragere is a rope like device worn to signify the award of a foreign decoration.
When can a unit award, be worn?
A unit award can be worn when serving with a unit that received an award or if you were assigned to the unit when the award was assigned.
Name the four Special Skills Tabs.
The four special skills tabs are, Ranger, Special Forces, President’s Hundred, and, Sapper.
What Army Regulation, covers the wear, and appearance, of the military uniform?
AR 670 – 1, covers the wear and appearance of the military uniform.
Name three appurtenances.
- Oak leaf clusters.
- “V” devices.
- Numerals.
- Clasps.
- Service stars.
- Arrowhead.
- Berlin airlift device.
- Ten Year device.
- “M” device.
If the number of authorized oak leaf clusters exceeds four, and will not fit on a single ribbon, what will happen?
If the number oak leaf clusters exceeds four and will not fit on a single ribbon, a second ribbon is authorized for wear. When the second ribbon is worn, it is placed after the first ribbon; the second ribbon counts as one award. Personnel may 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 for five awards), personnel will remove the second ribbon and place the appropriate number of devices on a single ribbon.
What D A Form, is used to recommend or request an award?
DA Form 638 is used to recommend or request an award.
What Army Regulation governs Awards and Decorations?
AR 600-8-22 governs awards and decorations.
When, was the Medal of Honor established?
The Medal of Honor was established in 1862.
Why is the Purple Heart different than all the other decorations?
The Purple Heart is different than all the other decorations in that an individual is not “recommended” for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria.
What are the three United States Army Combat Badges?
The three US Army Combat Badges are the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Combat Action Badge, and the Combat Medical Badge.
Who is eligible to be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge?
Those authorized to be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge are personnel in the grade of Colonel or below with an infantry or special forces military occupational specialty who have satisfactorily performed duty while assigned as a member of an infantry/special forces unit, brigade or smaller size, during any period subsequent to 6 December 1941 when the unit was engaged in active ground combat. There is specific criteria for each conflict that must also be met.
What are the four specific eligibility requirements for the Combat Action Badge?
- May be awarded to any soldier.
- Soldier must be performing assigned duties in an area where hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay is authorized.
- Soldier must be personally present and actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy, and performing satisfactorily in accordance with the prescribed rules of engagement.
- Soldier must not be assigned/attached to a unit that would qualify the soldier for the Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Badge.
Can the Combat Action Badge be awarded to members of the other U.S. Armed Forces and foreign Soldiers?
Yes, provided they were assigned to a U.S. Army unit and meet the four specific eligibility requirements for the award of the CAB.
May Soldiers may be awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, Combat Medical Badge, and Combat Action Badge, for the same qualifying period?
Yes, provided the criteria for each badge is met. However, subsequent awards of the same badge within the same qualifying period are not authorized.
Who is eligible to be awarded the Combat Medical Badge?
The following medical personnel, assigned or attached by appropriate orders to an infantry unit of brigade, regimental, or smaller size, or to a medical unit of company or smaller size, organic to an infantry unit of brigade or smaller size, during any period the infantry unit is engaged in actual ground combat are eligible for award of the badge, provided they are personally present and under fire during such ground combat:
- Subsequent to 6 December 1941 – Army Medical Department (Colonels and below), the Navy Medical Department (Captains and below), the Air Force Medical Service (Colonels and below), assigned or attached to the Army, who have satisfactorily performed medical duties.
- Subsequent to 19 December 1989 – Special Forces personnel possessing military occupational specialty 18D (Special Operations Medical Sergeant) who satisfactorily performed medical duties while assigned or attached to a Special Forces unit during any period the unit is engaged in actual ground combat, provided they are personally present and under fire. Retroactive awards are not authorized.
- Subsequent to 16 January 1991 – Personnel outlined in (1) above, assigned or attached to Armor or ground Cavalry units of brigade or smaller size, who satisfactorily performed medical duties while the unit is engaged in actual ground combat, provided they are personally present and under fire. Retroactive awards are not authorized.
- Subsequent to 11 September 2001 – Personnel outlined in (1) and (3) above, assigned or attached to or under operational control of any ground Combat Arms units (not to include members assigned or attached to Aviation units) of brigade or smaller size, who satisfactorily performed medical duties while the unit is engaged in actual ground combat provided they are personally present and under fire. Retroactive awards are not authorized.
Awards will not be made to general or flag officers. Specific eligibility requirements by geographic area are listed in Army Regulation 600-8-22.
