Military Medals in Order: U.S. Awards From Medal of Honor Down
U.S. military medals in order of precedence, from the Medal of Honor and service crosses to the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, with what each recognizes.
Short answer: Military medals in order of precedence start with the Medal of Honor, followed by the service crosses (Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross and Air Force Cross), the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the service Distinguished Service Medals, the Silver Star, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Soldier’s, Navy and Marine Corps, or Airman’s Medal, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Precedence sets the order in which ribbons are worn on a uniform, which roughly tracks how rare and how hard each award is to earn.
Last updated: October 28, 2026
Key facts
- The Medal of Honor is the highest U.S. military award and is always worn first.
- There are three versions: Army, Navy (also used by Marines and Coast Guard) and Air Force.
- Each service has its own second-highest award, called a service cross.
- By law, the Purple Heart ranks no lower than right after the Bronze Star.
- Each service publishes a full ribbon chart that follows the Defense Department manual.
Military medals in order of precedence
The order below follows the Defense Department’s awards manual, DoD Manual 1348.33, Volume 3, as amended by Change 6 on July 14, 2026. The manual now carries the “DoWM” designation. Where the services have parallel awards, they share a row.
| Order | Award | What it recognizes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medal of Honor | Conspicuous gallantry at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty |
| 2 | Distinguished Service Cross (Army), Navy Cross (Navy, Marines, Coast Guard), Air Force Cross (Air Force, Space Force) | Extraordinary heroism in combat |
| 3 | Defense Distinguished Service Medal | Exceptionally meritorious service in a senior joint position |
| 4 | Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medals | Exceptionally meritorious service in a position of great responsibility |
| 5 | Silver Star | Gallantry in action against an enemy |
| 6 | Defense Superior Service Medal | Superior meritorious service in a joint position |
| 7 | Legion of Merit | Exceptionally meritorious conduct in outstanding service |
| 8 | Distinguished Flying Cross | Heroism or extraordinary achievement in aerial flight |
| 9 | Soldier’s Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Airman’s Medal | Heroism not involving combat with an enemy |
| 10 | Bronze Star Medal | Heroic or meritorious achievement in connection with combat operations |
| 11 | Purple Heart | Being killed or wounded by enemy action or in certain attacks |
| 12 | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious service in a joint position |
| 13 | Meritorious Service Medal | Outstanding meritorious service, typically for senior NCOs and officers |
| 14 | Air Medal | Meritorious achievement or heroism while participating in aerial flight |
| 15 | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Meritorious achievement or service in a joint assignment |
Below the Joint Service Commendation Medal come the service commendation and achievement medals, unit awards, campaign and service medals, and foreign and training awards. Each service publishes its own complete list.
The Medal of Honor
The Military Awards for Valor site describes the Medal of Honor as “the highest military decoration that may be awarded by the United States government.” The president presents it in the name of Congress. It can be awarded for action against an enemy of the United States, in military operations against an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces in an armed conflict.
There are three designs: one for the Army, one for the Air Force, and one shared by the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The awards manual’s first volume states that the Medal of Honor is “the United States’ highest military award” and is worn before all others. Retired Army Col. Ralph Puckett Jr., shown above, received it in 2021 for actions in the Korean War.
The service crosses
The second tier is a different medal for each military department. The valor site says the Distinguished Service Cross is awarded for extraordinary heroism that is “above those required for all other U.S. combat decorations” but does not merit the Medal of Honor. The Navy Cross covers sailors and Marines, plus Coast Guard members when operating under the Navy. The Air Force Cross covers Airmen and Guardians.
All three are equal in precedence. A soldier’s Distinguished Service Cross and a Marine’s Navy Cross recognize the same level of heroism.
Valor awards vs service awards
The list mixes two kinds of medals, and that confuses many readers. The Silver Star ranks below the Distinguished Service Medals even though the Silver Star is a combat valor award and the Distinguished Service Medals usually go to senior officers for leadership. Precedence is about the significance of the award, not only about heroism.
| Type | Examples | Typical recipients |
|---|---|---|
| Valor (combat heroism) | Medal of Honor, service crosses, Silver Star, Bronze Star with “V” device | Any rank, for acts in combat |
| Heroism outside combat | Soldier’s Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Airman’s Medal | Any rank, for risking life in non-combat rescues and emergencies |
| Meritorious service | Distinguished Service Medals, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal | Mostly senior officers and NCOs, for leadership and duty performance |
| Wounds | Purple Heart | Anyone killed or wounded under qualifying circumstances |
The Bronze Star and the Purple Heart
The Bronze Star is worn right after the Soldier’s Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal or the Airman’s Medal, depending on the service. It can recognize either heroism or meritorious service connected with combat operations.
The Purple Heart is unusual in two ways. The awards manual says it goes to any service member killed or wounded “to an extent requiring treatment by a medical officer” under specified circumstances. It is also an entitlement: once the criteria are met, the service member is entitled to it, rather than being nominated and approved like other personal decorations. Federal law at 10 U.S.C. §1127 guarantees it a place of precedence “not lower than immediately following” the Bronze Star.
How ribbons are worn
Service members wear ribbons in rows over the left breast pocket, with the highest award at the wearer’s right on the top row. Repeat awards are shown with small devices such as oak leaf clusters in the Army and Air Force, or gold and silver stars in the Navy and Marine Corps, rather than second ribbons. A “V” device on a ribbon marks an award for valor in combat.
Veterans who need to confirm their awards can find them on their discharge papers. Our guide on how to get your DD-214 explains how to request a copy, and our veterans hub has more resources.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest military medal in the United States?
The Medal of Honor. Recipients’ citations are collected on the Defense Department’s valor site and the Army’s Medal of Honor pages.
What is the second-highest military award?
The second-highest award is a service cross: the Distinguished Service Cross for the Army, the Navy Cross for the Navy and Marine Corps, and the Air Force Cross for the Air Force and Space Force.
Is the Silver Star higher than the Bronze Star?
Yes. The Silver Star is the third-highest combat valor award and is worn well above the Bronze Star in the order of precedence.
Where does the Purple Heart rank?
The Purple Heart is worn immediately after the Bronze Star. Federal law requires that it rank no lower than that position.
How many versions of the Medal of Honor are there?
There are three: an Army version, an Air Force version, and a Navy version used by the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.
What does the order of precedence mean?
It is the official order in which medals and ribbons are worn on a uniform. Higher-precedence awards are worn first, in the top row on the wearer’s right.
This article was written by Peter with AI assistance and checked against the sources linked. See our AI use disclosure.
Sources
- Department of War: Manual 1348.33, Volume 3 (PDF)
- Department of War: Military Awards for Valor, description of awards
