Air Force Meritorious Unit Award — Military Decorations

Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Medal and Ribbon Design Images

The Air Force Meritorious Unit Award comes with a unique service ribbon, which is worn on the recipient's uniform in situations where the full medal is not worn. If you have earned this decoration, you can wear the service ribbon on your ribbon rack.

What is the Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Decoration?

Similarly to the Air Force Gallant Unit Citation, the Air Force Meritorious Unit Citation bears the colours of red white and blue. It features two medium red stripes separated by a thin white stripe on each side, and a larger royal blue stripe flanked by two medium white stripes. It is a symmetrical design.

The streamer for the unit flag bears the same design as the service ribbon.

The United States military sorts decorations into categories called Classes and Types. The Air Force Meritorious Unit Award medal is classified as a Unit Award of the type Meritorious Unit Commendation.

How Do You Earn the Air Force Meritorious Unit Award?

It is awarded to Air Force active duty, Reserve, and Guard units for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding achievement or service in direct support of combat operations for at least 90 continuous days during the period of military operations against an armed enemy of the United States on or after Sept. 11, 2001.

The unit must display such outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks as to set it apart and above other units with similar missions. The degree of achievement required is the same as that which would warrant award of the Legion of Merit. Superior performance of normal mission will not alone justify award of the Meritorious Unit Award. Service in a combat zone is not required, but service must be directly related to the combat effort. Squadrons, groups, and wings may be recommended for this award.

Approval authority for the award will be awarded by the major command (MAJCOM) commander; however, approval authority is delegated in cases when Numbered Air Force commanders are serving as Air Component commanders such as United States Central Air Forces (USCENTAF/CC).

Displaying the Air Force Meritorious Unit Award

The Order of Precedence of the Air Force Meritorious Unit Award is 50, and this precedence is used when placing the associated service ribbon on your uniform ribbon rack. You can see a full list of decorations in the order of precedence on the Decorations homepage.

All members of the unit may wear the decoration, whether or not they personally participated in the acts for which the unit was cited. Only those assigned to the unit at the time of the action cited may wear the decoration as a permanent award.

The Meritorious Unit Commendation elements will include the citation, certificate, special order, and streamer. The ribbon shall be worn immediately before the Air Force Outstanding Unit award. Subsequent awards will be denoted by Oak Leaf Clusters.

Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Associated Branches

Air Force

Air Force Meritorious Unit Award Associated Branches

Air Force

Air Force Meritorious Unit Award and the Stolen Valor Act

The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 is a federal law that makes it illegal for any person to falsely claim to be the recipient of certain military awards, "with the intention of obtaining money, property, or other tangible benefit by convincing another that he or she received the award".This decoration is covered by the Stolen Valor act. Fraudulently claiming to have received a Air Force Meritorious Unit Award can result in punishment including a fine, imprisonment for not more than one year, or both


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