The Meritorious Service Medal is a military award presented to members of the United States
Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or
service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969. The MSM was previously awarded
as a decoration for achievement during peacetime; effective 11 September 2001, this decoration
may also be bestowed in lieu of the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement in
a designated combat theater. Normally, the acts or services rendered must be comparable
to that required for the Legion of Merit but in a duty of lesser, though considerable,
responsibility. A higher award and decoration known as the
Defense Meritorious Service Medal is intended for similar services performed under joint
duty within the United States Department of Defense, to include the Joint Staff, the Unified
Combatant Commands, and joint task forces under their cognizance.
In the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal are typically
field grade officers in pay grades O-4 through O-6, senior chief warrant officers in pay
grades W-3 through W-5, and senior non-commissioned officers in both the Army and the Air Force.
Award of the MSM to company grade officers in pay grades O-1 through O-3, junior warrant
officers/chief warrant officers in pay grades W-1 and W-2, and junior NCOs in pay grades
E-6 and below is rare and typically by exception. The U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S.
Coast Guard ascribe to a slightly different philosophy than the Army and the Air Force
in awarding the MSM, typically reserving it for senior Naval and Coast Guard officers
in pay grades O-5 and O-6 and Marine Corps field grade officers in pay grades O-5 and
O-6, with the first award of the MSM typically occurring after completion of a successful
commanding officer assignment at the O-5 level. Award of the MSM to USN, USMC and USCG officers
in pay grade O-4 and below, to include chief warrant officers and below, is typically by
exception. Enlisted award of the MSM in the Navy, Marine
Corps and Coast Guard is likewise typically limited to pay grades E-8 and E-9, while award
of the MSM to pay grade E-7 and below is very rare and by exception. In the Navy, Marine
Corps or Coast Guard, the awarding authority for the MSM must be either a Flag Officer
or General Officer holding the pay grade of O-7 or above. It is most common for Navy and
Coast Guard Master Chief Petty Officers and Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sergeants and
Sergeant Majors to receive the MSM as an end of tour award upon retirement.
Foreign military personnel in the ranks of NATO OF-5 and below and individuals who have
displayed a level of service that warrants an award of such magnitude may also be eligible
to be awarded the MSM subject to approval by a U.S. flag officer or general officer.
To receive this medal the individual must exhibit exceptionally meritorious service
at that level of responsibility. History
At the Tri-Department Awards Conference, there was a discussion on the need for a third meritorious
award to provide appropriate recognition for non-combat achievement or service comparable
to that of the Bronze Star Medal for combat achievement or service. It was felt that the
Legion of Merit's prestige was slipping because it was being used with increasing frequency
to reward service below the Legion of Merit's intended standard, but higher than that required
for the Commendation Medals of the various military services.
An ad hoc committee was formed by the Secretary of Defense to select a name. On November 8,
1968, the committee unanimously approved the name "Meritorious Service Medal". President
Lyndon B. Johnson established the Meritorious Service Medal per Executive Order 11448, dated
January 16, 1969. The Executive Order was amended by President Ronald Reagan per Executive
Order 12312, dated July 2, 1981, to authorize award to members of the armed forces of friendly
foreign nations. The medal was designed by Mr. Jay Morris of
the Institute of Heraldry, and the design was approved by the committee on March 20,
1969. The ribbon design purposely follows the colors used for the Legion of Merit to
reflect the parallel between the two medals. The eagle, symbol of the United States, stands
on laurel branches denoting achievement. The star is used to represent the military service
and the rays emanating therefrom denote the constant efforts of individuals to achieve
through excellent and meritorious service. The Meritorious Service Medal is a bronze
medal, 1.5 inches in diameter overall, consisting of six rays issuant from the upper three points
of a five-pointed star with beveled edges and containing two smaller stars defined by
incised outlines; in front of the lower part of the star an eagle with wings upraised standing
upon two upward curving branches of laurel tied with a ribbon between the feet of the
eagle. The reverse has the encircled inscriptions "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "MERITORIOUS
SERVICE". The suspension ribbon is 1 3/8 inches wide and consists of the following stripes:
1/8 inch Crimson 67112; 1/4 inch White 67101; center 5/8 inch Crimson; 1/4 inch White;
and 1/8 inch Crimson. Additional awards of the Meritorious Service
Medal are denoted by bronze oak leaf clusters in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force and gold
5/16 inch stars in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard. These devices
are also authorized for wear on the suspension and service ribbon of the medal. In certain
instances, the U.S. Coast Guard also authorizes an Operational Distinguishing Device for the
medal. See also
Meritorious Civilian Service Award – a comparable award given to civilian employees of the United
States Departments of Defense and its agencies. References
External links US Army Institute of Heraldry: Meritorious
Service Medal