Defense Distinguished Service Medal

The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the Department of Defense, which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to the national security or defense of the United States. The medal was created on July 9, 1970, by President Richard Nixon in Executive Order 11545.[2] President Nixon awarded the first medal, on the day the Executive Order was signed, to General Earle Wheeler, who was retiring from the US Army after serving as Chief of Staff of the United States Army and then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Awarded by the Department of Defense[1]
TypeMilitary decoration
EligibilityUnited States military personnel
Awarded forExceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to National security or defense of the United States.
StatusCurrently awarded
ClaspsOak leaf clusters for subsequent awards
Statistics
EstablishedJuly 9, 1970
First awardedGeneral Earle Wheeler (1970)
Precedence
Next (higher)Army: Distinguished Service Cross
Navy and Marine Corps: Navy Cross
Air Force and Space Force: Air Force Cross
Coast Guard: Coast Guard Cross
EquivalentHomeland Security Distinguished Service Medal
Next (lower)Army: Army Distinguished Service Medal
Navy and Marine Corps: Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Air Force and Space Force: Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Coast Guard: Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal

Service ribbon

Criteria

The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is the United States's highest non-combat related military award and it is the highest joint service decoration. The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is awarded only while assigned to a joint activity. Normally, such responsibilities deserving of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal are held by the most senior officers such as the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chiefs and Vice Chiefs of the Services, and Commanders and Deputy Commanders of the Combatant Commands, the Director of the Joint Staff etc., whose duties bring them frequently into direct contact with the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and other senior government officials. In addition, the medal may also be awarded to other service members whose direct and individual contributions to national security or national defense are recognized as being so exceptional in scope and value as to be equivalent to contributions normally associated with positions encompassing broader responsibilities.[3]

This decoration takes precedence over the Distinguished Service Medals of the services and is not to be awarded to any individual for a period of service for which an Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal is awarded.

Appearance
Medal presented to Haitian Major Guy Phillipe for leading element that forced President Jean-Bertrand Aristide into exile, February, 2004.

The medal is gold in color and on the obverse it features a medium blue enameled pentagon (point up). Superimposed on this is an American bald eagle with wings outspread facing left grasping three crossed arrows in its talons and on its breast is a shield of the United States. The pentagon and eagle are enclosed within a gold pieced circle consisting, in the upper half of 13 five-pointed stars and in the lower half, a wreath of laurel on the left and olive on the right. At the top is a suspender of five graduated gold rays. The reverse of the medal has the inscription "For Distinguished Service" at the top in raised letters, and within the pentagon the inscription "From The Secretary of Defense To," all in raised letters.

Additional awards of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal are denoted by oak leaf clusters.


Notable recipients
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References
  1. "Issuances" (PDF). www.esd.whs.mil. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-09-12. Retrieved 2018-09-29.
  2. Air Force Personnel Center Defense Distinguished Service Medal Archived 2011-06-16 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-05-18. Retrieved 2018-12-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Jeremy Boorda - Recipient - Military Times Hall Of Valor". valor.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  5. "General Anthony C. Zinni, USMC". Marine Corps Museum. Archived from the original on 2013-04-15. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
  6. {{cite web|url=http://www.dia.mil/News/Articles/Article-View/Article/567011/lt-gen-flynn-retires-from-dia-33-year-army-career/
  7. UPI (15 August 1986). "Computer Whiz Retires from Navy". Detroit Free Press. p. 4A. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  8. "Daniel James , Jr., Awards and Citations". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  9. "2000 ADM Larson". Nimitz.berkeley.edu. Archived from the original on 2013-09-27. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-02-20. Retrieved 2014-04-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. "Carl Trost is set for March 2". Naany.org. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
  12. "Defense Distinguished Service Medal Criteria, History and Recipients". Usafeenlistedheritage.org. 1970-07-09. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
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