Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal — Military Decorations

Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal

Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal

Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal Medal and Ribbon Design Images

Design of the Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal

The Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal is gold encircled in a green laurel representing prestige and achievement. The centre of the obverse is marked by a blue shield “divided into three sections containing elements that represent the homeland ‘from sea to shining sea.’ The top element, a dark blue sky, contains 22 stars representing the original 22 agencies and bureaus that have come together to form the department. The left shield element contains white mountains behind a green plain underneath a light blue sky. The right shield element contains four wave shapes representing the oceans, lakes and waterways alternating light and dark blue separated by white lines. The medal us suspended by an eagle with spread wings with a crest made of the US flag.”

What is the Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal Decoration?

The ribbon bears the colours of the Homeland Security crest. It is edged by two royal blue stripes inwardly flanked with Bluebird stripes. Then a white background is superimposed with a thin green stripe flanked by two red apple stripes.

The United States military sorts decorations into categories called Classes and Types. The Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal medal is classified as a Personal Decoration of the type Distinguished Service Medal.

How Do You Earn the Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal?

This decoration was created as the Transportation Distinguished Service Medal by Executive Order 12824, signed by President George H. W. Bush on December 7, 1992. However, on February 28, 2003, President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13286, which replaced the Transportation version of the award with the Homeland Security version retroactively to March 1, 2002. Later, on April 5, 2011, President Barack Obama amended Executive Order 12824, modifying the award eligibility from "a member of the Coast Guard" to "any member of the Armed Forces of the United States”.

Displaying the Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal

The Order of Precedence of the Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal is 7, 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.

The decoration is one of the highest awards that can be bestowed upon a member of the U.S. Armed Forces.

It is worn after the Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, Air Force Cross and Coast Guard Cross and, for members of the Coast Guard, before the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the Department-specific DSM decorations. The medal may be awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States.

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