Bronze Star Medal
 The
Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual
military decoration which may be awarded for bravery, acts of
merit, or meritorious service. When awarded for bravery, it is
the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Armed Forces and
the 9th highest military award (including both combat and
non-combat awards) in the order of precedence of U.S. military
decorations.
The medal may be
awarded for Valor (i.e. courage under fire), in which case it
is accompanied with an attached V or it may be awarded for
Meritorious Achievement (i.e. doing one's job well) in which
case the medal does not have a valor component and does not
have an attached V denoting Valor. Most of the bronze stars
awarded are for non valor and do not have the V device.
The medal is
awarded to a member of the military who, while serving in or
with the military of the United States after 6 December 1941,
distinguished him or herself by heroic or meritorious
achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial
flight, while engaged in an action against an enemy of the
United States; while engaged in military operations involving
conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with
friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against
an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a
belligerent party.
Awards may be made
for acts of heroism, performed under circumstances described
above, which are of lesser degree than required for the award
of the Silver Star. Awards may also be made to recognize
single acts of merit or meritorious service. The required
achievement or service while of lesser degree than that
required for the award of the Legion of Merit must
nevertheless have been meritorious and accomplished with
distinction.
To be eligible for
the Bronze Star Medal, a military member must be receiving
hostile fire/imminent danger pay during the event for which
the medal is to be awarded.
As of 30 October
2000, the Bronze Star Medal may not be awarded to Department
of the Army civilians.
The Bronze Star
Medal is typically referred to by its full name (including the
word "Medal") to differentiate the decoration from
bronze service stars which are worn on campaign medals and
service awards.
CIB & CMB Conversion
As a result of a
study conducted in 1947, the policy was implemented that
authorized the retroactive award of the Bronze Star Medal to
soldiers who had received the Combat Infantryman Badge or the
Combat Medical Badge during World War II. The basis for doing
this was that the badges were awarded only to soldiers who had
borne the hardships which resulted in General Marshall's
support of the Bronze Star Medal. Both badges required a
recommendation by the commander and a citation in orders.
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