The medal is not the same as the Meritorious Service Medal, which is a separate federal military decoration. Both have virtually identical award criteria, but the DMSM is awarded to service members assigned to joint, multi-service organizations, while the MSM is awarded to service members in traditional military units within their respective individual services.
The medal was first created on 3 November 1977 by President Jimmy Carter under Executive Order 12019 to recognize non-combat meritorious achievement or service while serving in a joint assignment. The recognized service is typically for a period of time greater than 12 months, encompassing a recipient’s entire joint assignment, including extensions. The required achievement or service, is of a lesser degree than that required for award of the Defense Superior Service Medal, but must have been accomplished with distinction.[2]
A joint assignment "connotes activities, operations, or organizations in which elements of more than one Armed Forces of the United States, as reflected in joint manpower documents or the Joint Duty Assignment List, perform joint missions under the auspices of the Office of the Secretary of Defense; the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; or the commander of a Combatant Command". Service members assigned to or attached to a Joint Task Force as individuals, not members of a specific military service's unit, can be eligible for the DMSM. Members of service specific units are eligible for awards of personal decorations from their parent service.[2] Personnel serving with jointly manned staffs within Allied Command Europe, Allied Command Atlantic, the NATO Military Committee, and military agencies associated with functions of the military or other joint activities as may be designated are also included.[3]
In 2014, President Barack Obama with Executive Order 13666 extended eligibility of the DMSM to include any member of the armed forces of a friendly foreign nation, thus authorizing recognition of those NATO, Allied and Coalition officers and senior enlisted personnel assigned to/embedded in the Joint Staff, the Unified Combatant Commands and associated Joint Task Forces.
Appearance
Medal description
The Defense Meritorious Service Medal is made of bronze and is 1+1⁄2 inches (38 mm) in diameter. The obverse design consists of a circular wreath of laurel leaves tied with a ribbon at base. In the center is a pentagon shape which slightly overlaps the wreath. Superimposed over the pentagon is an eagle with wings upraised standing at the base of the pentagon. The eagle is symbolic of the United States while the pentagon shape alludes to the Department of Defense, and the laurel wreath represents achievement.[4] The reverse of the medal bears the inscription, Defense Meritorious Service in three horizontal lines while around the bottom are the words, United States of America. In between the inscriptions is space for engraving the name of the recipient.[3]
Ribbon description
The ribbon for the medal is 1+3⁄8 inches (35 mm) in width composed of the following vertical stripes: White 1⁄16 inch (1.6 mm), Crimson 1⁄4 inch (6.4 mm), White 7⁄32 inch (5.6 mm), Bluebird 1⁄16 inch (1.6 mm), White 1⁄16 inch (1.6 mm), Bluebird 1⁄16 inch (1.6 mm), White 1⁄16 inch (1.6 mm), Bluebird 1⁄16 inch (1.6 mm), White 7⁄32 inch (5.6 mm), Crimson 1⁄4 inch (6.4 mm), White 1⁄16 inch (1.6 mm). The colors, crimson and white, are duplicates of the colors of the Legion of Merit ribbon. The stripes of blue (Bluebird) is the color associated with the Department of Defense.[4]
Additional awards of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal are denoted by bronze oak leaf clusters, with a silver oak leaf cluster representing six awards. As a joint award, oak leaf clusters traditionally associated with Army, Air Force, and Space Force awards are also used for multiple awards of the DMSM to Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel. These oak leaf clusters are attached to the suspension and service ribbons.[2]
^(PDF). www.esd.whs.mil. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-09-12. Retrieved 2018-09-29.
^ abc(PDF). Defense Technical Information Center. Department of Defense. 12 October 2011. pp. 42–45, 75. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
^ ab. US Air Force Personnel Center. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
^ ab"Defense Meritorious Service Medal". The Institute of Heraldry. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
External links
Media related to Defense Meritorious Service Medal at Wikimedia Commons
March 03, 2023
defense, meritorious, service, medal, dmsm, award, bestowed, upon, members, united, states, military, united, states, department, defense, order, precedence, united, states, armed, forces, worn, between, purple, heart, meritorious, service, medal, medal, award. The Defense Meritorious Service Medal DMSM is an award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense In the order of precedence of the United States Armed Forces it is worn between the Purple Heart and the Meritorious Service Medal The medal is awarded in the name of the Secretary of Defense to members of the Armed Forces who while serving in a joint activity distinguish themselves by non combat outstanding achievement or meritorious service but not of a degree to warrant award of the Defense Superior Service Medal Defense Meritorious Service MedalTypeMedal Decoration Awarded forNon combat outstanding achievement or meritorious service Presented byUnited States Department of Defense 1 Eligibilityany member of the U S Armed Forces or any member of the armed forces of a friendly foreign nationClaspsOak leaf clusters for subsequent awards StatusCurrently awardedEstablishedExecutive Order 12019 November 3 1977 Amended by Executive Order 13666 April 18 2014 Service ribbonPrecedenceNext higher Purple HeartNext lower Meritorious Service MedalThe medal is not the same as the Meritorious Service Medal which is a separate federal military decoration Both have virtually identical award criteria but the DMSM is awarded to service members assigned to joint multi service organizations while the MSM is awarded to service members in traditional military units within their respective individual services Contents 1 Criteria 2 Appearance 2 1 Medal description 2 2 Ribbon description 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksCriteria EditThe medal was first created on 3 November 1977 by President Jimmy Carter under Executive Order 12019 to recognize non combat meritorious achievement or service while serving in a joint assignment The recognized service is typically for a period of time greater than 12 months encompassing a recipient s entire joint assignment including extensions The required achievement or service is of a lesser degree than that required for award of the Defense Superior Service Medal but must have been accomplished with distinction 2 A joint assignment connotes activities operations or organizations in which elements of more than one Armed Forces of the United States as reflected in joint manpower documents or the Joint Duty Assignment List perform joint missions under the auspices of the Office of the Secretary of Defense the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or the commander of a Combatant Command Service members assigned to or attached to a Joint Task Force as individuals not members of a specific military service s unit can be eligible for the DMSM Members of service specific units are eligible for awards of personal decorations from their parent service 2 Personnel serving with jointly manned staffs within Allied Command Europe Allied Command Atlantic the NATO Military Committee and military agencies associated with functions of the military or other joint activities as may be designated are also included 3 In 2014 President Barack Obama with Executive Order 13666 extended eligibility of the DMSM to include any member of the armed forces of a friendly foreign nation thus authorizing recognition of those NATO Allied and Coalition officers and senior enlisted personnel assigned to embedded in the Joint Staff the Unified Combatant Commands and associated Joint Task Forces Appearance EditMedal description Edit The Defense Meritorious Service Medal is made of bronze and is 1 1 2 inches 38 mm in diameter The obverse design consists of a circular wreath of laurel leaves tied with a ribbon at base In the center is a pentagon shape which slightly overlaps the wreath Superimposed over the pentagon is an eagle with wings upraised standing at the base of the pentagon The eagle is symbolic of the United States while the pentagon shape alludes to the Department of Defense and the laurel wreath represents achievement 4 The reverse of the medal bears the inscription Defense Meritorious Service in three horizontal lines while around the bottom are the words United States of America In between the inscriptions is space for engraving the name of the recipient 3 Ribbon description Edit The ribbon for the medal is 1 3 8 inches 35 mm in width composed of the following vertical stripes White 1 16 inch 1 6 mm Crimson 1 4 inch 6 4 mm White 7 32 inch 5 6 mm Bluebird 1 16 inch 1 6 mm White 1 16 inch 1 6 mm Bluebird 1 16 inch 1 6 mm White 1 16 inch 1 6 mm Bluebird 1 16 inch 1 6 mm White 7 32 inch 5 6 mm Crimson 1 4 inch 6 4 mm White 1 16 inch 1 6 mm The colors crimson and white are duplicates of the colors of the Legion of Merit ribbon The stripes of blue Bluebird is the color associated with the Department of Defense 4 Additional awards of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal are denoted by bronze oak leaf clusters with a silver oak leaf cluster representing six awards As a joint award oak leaf clusters traditionally associated with Army Air Force and Space Force awards are also used for multiple awards of the DMSM to Navy Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel These oak leaf clusters are attached to the suspension and service ribbons 2 See also EditAwards and decorations of the United States militaryReferences Edit Issuances PDF www esd whs mil 2016 Archived from the original PDF on 2017 09 12 Retrieved 2018 09 29 a b c Department of Defense Manual 1348 33 Volume 1 Manual of Military Decorations and Awards PDF Defense Technical Information Center Department of Defense 12 October 2011 pp 42 45 75 Archived from the original PDF on March 22 2011 Retrieved 28 October 2012 a b Library gt Fact Sheets gt Defense Meritorious Service Medal US Air Force Personnel Center Archived from the original on 16 October 2012 Retrieved 28 October 2012 a b Defense Meritorious Service Medal The Institute of Heraldry Retrieved 28 October 2012 External links Edit Media related to Defense Meritorious Service Medal at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Defense Meritorious Service Medal amp oldid 1139000197, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
