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Coast GuardMilitary Medals andAwards ManualCOMDTINST M1650.25E15 AUGUST 2016

COMMANDANTUnited States Coast GuardUS Coast Guard Stop 72002703 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SEWashington, DC 20593-7200Staff Symbol: CG PSC-PSD-maPhone: (202) 795-6575COMDTINST M1650.25E15 August 2016COMMANDANT INSTRUCTION M1650.25ESubj: COAST GUARD MILITARY MEDALS AND AWARDS MANUALRef: (a) Uniform Regulations, COMDTINST M1020.6 (series)(b) Recognition Programs Manual, COMDTINST M1650.26 (series)(c) Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, SECNAVINST 1650.1 (series)1. PURPOSE. This Manual establishes the authority, policies, procedures, and standardsgoverning the military medals and awards for all Coast Guard personnel Active and Reserveand all other service members assigned to duty with the Coast Guard.2. ACTION. All Coast Guard unit Commanders, Commanding Officers, Officers-In-Charge,Deputy/Assistant Commandants and Chiefs of Headquarters staff elements must comply withthe provisions of this Manual. Internet release is authorized.3. DIRECTIVES AFFECTED. Medals and Awards Manual, COMDTINST M1650.25D iscancelled.4. DISCLAIMER. This guidance is not a substitute for applicable legal requirements, nor is ititself a rule. It is intended to provide operational guidance for Coast Guard personnel and isnot intended to nor does it impose legally-binding requirements on any party outside theCoast Guard.5. MAJOR CHANGES. Major changes to this Manual include: Renaming of the manual todistinguish Military Medals and Awards from other award programs; removal of theRecognition Programs from Chapter 6 to create the new Recognition Manual, COMDTINSTM1650.26; removal of the Department of Navy personal awards information from Chapter 2;update to the revocation of awards process; clarification of the concurrent clearance processfor issuance of awards to Coast Guard Personnel from other U.S. Armed Services and topersonnel of other U.S. Armed Services from the Coast Guard; addition of the CG Cross,aABCDEFGHXXXDISTRIBUTION – SDL No. 167bcdefghijXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX XX XX XX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXNON-STANDARD XXXXXX

COMDTINST M1650.25ESilver Star, Combat Action Ribbon, and Overseas Service Ribbon and criteria to Chapter 2;the Department of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal criteria was updated;eligibility requirements for the Purple Heart Medal was updated and clarified; and correctionof previous clerical and administrative errors throughout.6. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS AND IMPACT CONSIDERATIONSa. The development of this Manual and the general policies contained within it have beenthoroughly reviewed by the originating office in conjunction with the Office ofEnvironmental Management, and are categorically excluded (CE) under current USCGCE #33 from further environmental analysis, in accordance with Section 2.B.2. andFigure 2-1 of the National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures andPolicy for Considering Environmental Impacts, COMDTINST M16475.1 (series).b. This directive will not have any of the following: significant cumulative impacts on thehuman environment; substantial controversy or substantial change to existingenvironmental conditions; or inconsistencies with any Federal, State, or local laws oradministrative determinations relating to the environment. All future specific actionsresulting from the general policies in this Manual must be individually evaluated forcompliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Secretary , Departmentof Homeland Security (SECDHS) and Coast Guard NEPA policy, and compliance withall other environmental mandates.7. DISTRIBUTION. No paper distribution will be made of the Manual. An electronic versionwill be located on the following Commandant (CG-612) websites: http://uscg.mil/directives/and Pages/Home.aspx.8. RECORDS MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS. This Manual has been evaluated forpotential records management impacts. The development of this Manual has been thoroughlyreviewed during the directives clearance process, and it has been determined this actionrequires further scheduling requirements, in accordance with Federal Records Act, 44 U.S.C.3101 et seq., National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements, and theInformation and Life Cycle Management Manual, COMDTINST M5212.12 (series). Thispolicy has significant or substantial change to existing records management requirements, orinconsistencies with existing determinations relating to documentation requirements.9. FORMS/REPORTS. Any forms referenced in this Manual are available in USCG ElectronicForms on the Standard Workstation or on the Internet: http://www.uscg.mil/forms/; CGPortal /FORMS and Intranet athttp://cgweb.comdt.uscg.mil/CGForms.2

COMDTINST M1650.25E10. REQUEST FOR CHANGES. Units and individuals may recommend changes to theMilitary Medals and Awards Manual in accordance with Chapter 1, Paragraph 1.B.4. of thisManual.M. T. BELL, JR. /s/Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast GuardCommanderPersonnel Service Center3

COMDTINST M1650.25ETABLE OF CONTENTSCHAPTER 1. GENERAL INFORMATION . 1-1A.Purpose. 1-1B.Policy Considerations. . 1-11.Authority to Establish Awards. 1-12.Unauthorized Disposition and Wearing of Awards. . 1-13.Coast Guard Military Board of Awards. 1-14.Change to Policy Recommendations . 1-25.New Award Proposals . 1-26.Unit Level Instructions . 1-27.Non-Coast Guard Awards . 1-28.Awards as Recognition . 1-29.Meritorious Service and/or Acts. . 1-210. Dual Recognition. . 1-311. Extraordinary Heroism . 1-412. Posthumous Awards . 1-413. Privacy Considerations . 1-414. Revocation of Awards . 1-515. Classified Awards. . 1-516. Cash, Gratuities, and Gift Certificates . 1-5C.Personnel Eligible to Receive Military Medals and Decorations. . 1-61.Terms . . 1-62.Active Duty. 1-63.Reservists . 1-64.Cadets. . . 1-65.Public Health Service and Chaplain Corps. . 1-66.Coast Guard Auxiliarists. 1-67.Coast Guard Civilians . 1-68.National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Officer Corps . 1-79.Coast Guard Personnel Permanently Assigned (PCS assignment) to Other U.S. MilitaryService Commands (Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps) . 1-710. Coast Guard Personnel Temporarily Assigned to Other U.S. Military Service Commands. 1-7i

COMDTINST M1650.25E11. Personnel of Other U.S. Armed Services (Army, Air Force, Navy and MarineCorps). 1-712. Personnel of Other U.S. Armed Services Temporarily Assigned to Coast GuardCommands . . 1-8D.Personnel Ineligible to Receive Military Medals and Decorations. 1-8E.Award Concurrence Process . 1-8F.1.Approval Authority. Concurrence approval authority is restricted to CCG. . 1-82.Requests from Other U.S. Military Services for Coast Guard Personnel . 1-83.Requests from the Coast Guard for Other Military Service Personnel. 1-8Approval Authority, Delegation, and Precedence of Personal and Unit Awards andDecorations . 1-9G.H.I.J.K.Preparation of the Award Recommendation . 1-91.Initiation of Recommendation . 1-92.Timeliness and Time Restrictions . 1-93.Coast Guard Award Recommendation, Form CG-1650 . 1-94.Rank or Rate . 1-105.Citation . 1-106.Summary of Action (SOA) . 1-12Forwarding Award Recommendations . 1-121.Recommended by Other Than Commanding Officer . 1-122.Recommendation for the Award of the Purple Heart Medal . 1-13Processing Award Recommendations . 1-131.Flag-Level Approval Authority Responsibilities . 1-132.Approval Authority Responsibilities for Commanding Officers below Flag-Level. 1-143.Reconsideration of Disapproved Awards . 1-144.Exceptions to Policy . 1-14Issuance, Procurement, and Wearing of Decorations and Awards . 1-151.Initial and Duplicate Issuance . 1-152.Award Procurement. . 1-153.Certificates, Folders, and Special Citations . 1-154.Precedence of Decorations and Awards . 1-165.Wearing of Decorations and Awards . 1-16Administrative Responsibilities . 1-171.Awarding Authority . 1-17ii

COMDTINST M1650.25E2.Servicing Personnel Office . 1-183.Member . 1-19CHAPTER 2. PERSONAL AWARDS AND THEIR CRITERIA . 2-1A.Introduction. 2-11.Medal of Honor (MOH) . 2-12.Coast Guard Cross (CGC) . 2-23.Department of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal (DHSDSM). 2-34.Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal (CGDSM) . 2-35.Silver Star (SSM). 2-46.Legion of Merit (LOM) . 2-47.Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) . 2-58.Coast Guard Medal (CGM) . 2-69.Bronze Star Medal (BSM) . 2-610. Purple Heart Medal (PH) . 2-711. Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) . 2-912. Air Medal (AM). 2-913. Coast Guard Commendation Medal (CGCM) . 2-1014. Coast Guard Achievement Medal (CGAM) . 2-1115. Commandant’s Letter of Commendation (LOC) . 2-1116. Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) . 2-12CHAPTER 3. AUTHORIZED UNIT AWARDS AND THEIR CRITERIA . 3-1A.B.General Discussion . 3-11.Eligibility Requirements . 3-12.Submission. 3-23.Presentation . 3-2Unit Awards . 3-21.Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) . 3-22.Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) . 3-23.Coast Guard Unit Commendation (UC) . 3-24.Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) . 3-35.Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) . 3-36.Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (NMUC) . 3-47.Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation (MTC) . 3-48.Coast Guard “E” Ribbon . 3-5iii

COMDTINST M1650.25EC.Insignia for Cutters and Units . 3-61.Pennants . 3-62.Ribbons . 3-73.List of Cited Cutters and Units. . 3-74.Disposition of Citations . 3-7CHAPTER 4. LIFESAVING AWARDS. 4-1A.B.Gold and Silver Lifesaving Medals . 4-11.Eligibility . 4-12.Recommendations . 4-13.Citations . 4-34.Gold and Silver Lifesaving Medal Sets . 4-3Certificate of Valor . 4-3CHAPTER 5. CAMPAIGN, SERVICE, FOREIGN AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS . 5-1A.Campaign and Service Awards. . 5-11.Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal (GCM) . 5-12.Coast Guard Reserve Good Conduct Medal (RGCM) . 5-33.Coast Guard Enlisted Person of the Year (EPOY) Ribbon . 5-54.National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) . 5-55.Antarctica Service Medal. . 5-66.Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal . 5-87.Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) . 5-108.Kosovo Campaign Medal (KCM) . 5-129.Afghanistan Campaign Medal (ACM) . 5-1310. Iraq Campaign Medal (ICM) . 5-1411. Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (IRCM). 5-1612. Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOTEM) . 5-1713. Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (GWOTSM) . 5-1914. Korean Defense Service Medal (KDSM) . 5-2015. Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM) . 5-2116. Humanitarian Service Medal (HSM) . 5-2217. Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM) . 5-2518. Coast Guard Special Operations Service (SOS) Ribbon . 5-2619. Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon . 5-2820. Coast Guard Restricted Duty Ribbon . 5-28iv

COMDTINST M1650.25E21. Coast Guard Overseas Service Ribbon . 5-2922. Coast Guard Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon . 5-3023. Coast Guard Recruiting Service Ribbon. 5-3024. Armed Forces Reserve Medal (AFRM) . 5-3125. Marksmanship Medals and Ribbons . 5-33B.Non-U.S. and international awards authorized for Coast Guard personnel . 5-331.Non-U.S. Personal Decorations . 5-342.Non-U.S. Unit Awards . 5-343.Non-U.S. Campaign and Service Awards . 5-34CHAPTER 6. HISTORICAL AWARDS AND THEIR CRITERIA . 6-1A.Purpose. 6-11.Republic of Korea War Service Medal. . 6-12.Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal . 6-13.Vietnam Service Medal. . 6-24.Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) . 6-25.Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) . 6-36.Southwest Asia Service Medal (SWASM) . 6-47.Department of Transportation Guardian Medal. 6-58.Department Of Transportation 9/11 Medal . 6-59.Department Of Transportation 9-11 Ribbon (Lapel Pin for Civilians). 6-610. Department of Transportation Distinguished Service Medal . 6-711. Department of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award . 6-7LIST OF TABLESTable 1-1Coast Guard Awards and Decorations Awarding Authority 1-22Table 5-1Reserve Good Conduct Medal Points Calculation 5-4LIST OF FIGURESFigure 4-1Districts’ Geographical Boundaries . 4-4v