Secretary of the Army Award for Valor

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Secretary of the Army Award for Valor
Secretary of the Army Award for Valor.svg
Medal reverse (right) and obverse (left) of the Secretary of the Army Award for Valor
TypeCivilian honorary award
Awarded forAn act of heroism or sacrifice, with voluntary risk of personal safety in the face of danger either on or off the job. [1]
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Presented bythe Department of the Army
EligibilityArmy civilian employees
Established15 April 2002
Secretary of the Army Award for Valor ribbon.svg
Ribbon bar of the medal
Precedence
Next (higher) Department of the Army Distinguished Civilian Service Award
Equivalent Soldier's Medal
Next (lower) Department of the Army Superior Civilian Service Award
Related Secretary of Defense Medal for Valor

The Secretary of the Army Award for Valor was an award that acknowledged acts of heroism or bravery connected with a United States Army solider or Army activity, or that in some way benefits the Army. The equivalent military decoration for this award is the Soldier's Medal. [2]

Contents

Criteria

To be eligible for this award, the person must have distinguished themselves by exhibiting great courage or sacrifice involving heroism or bravery. The performance of the act must be a voluntary action above and beyond the call of duty. The act may be recognized if it is connected with an Army employee or Army activity, or if the Army in some way benefits from the act. Awards will be made only to recognize single acts of heroism or bravery. This award is not presented in recognition of activities or conflict with an armed enemy. The situation must have involved personal hazard or danger and a voluntary risk of life. Awards are not made solely for saving a life. [3]

Appearance

The medal is gold in color and 34.925 millimeters (1.3750 in) in diameter. The obverse depicts a five pointed star on top of a laurel wreath. At the top of the medal is inscribed "VALOR". The reverse of the medal has a small laurel wreath under a rectangular plate for engraving the recipient's name. The words “AWARDED TO” are inscribed above and parallel to the name plate. Below the plate are the words “FOR EXHIBITING BRAVERY”. The medal is suspended from a ribbon 35 millimeters (1.4 in), in width in red. In the center of the ribbon are five stripes of blue, separated by four stripes of white, the center blue stripe being wider than the others. This award has a neck drape or neck ribbon, similar to that of the Medal of Honor, and therefore is worn by the recipient in formal attire around the neck as the Medal of Honor. These are two of the four U.S. awards that are authorized a neck ribbon, the other ones being the commander-degree Legion of Merit and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. [1] [4]

Known recipients

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "Secretary of the Army Award for Valor". Army Public Service Awards. The Institute of Heraldry. Archived from the original on 28 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  2. "MER Memorandum: Sec Army Award for Valor". US Army Civilian Personnel Online. 29 August 2005. Retrieved 2011-07-10.
  3. "Secretary of the Army Award for Valor". US Army Civilian Personnel Online. 26 December 2010. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  4. "Army updates rules for awarding the Legion of Merit". 18 July 2015.

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army .