Type Ribbon device Last awarded Current | Status In use Next (lower) "C" Device | |
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Awarded for to denote valor or combat service First awarded 1945; 72 years ago (1945) | ||
The "V" Device is a miniature 1⁄4 inch letter "V" with serifs that is authorized by the United States Armed Forces as a ribbon device for a defined set of decorations.
Contents
- Criteria and wear
- Army and Air Force
- Navy Marine Corps and Coast Guard
- Decorations authorized the V device
- History
- References
The Army and Air Force version is bronze and referred to as the "V" Device. The Coast Guard version is also bronze but referred to as the Valor Device. The Navy and Marine Corps version is gold and referred to as the Combat Distinguishing Device or Combat "V". The criteria for and wear of the "V" device differs among the services.
Criteria and wear
The "V" device must be specifically authorized in the award citation for wear on the decoration. Although a service member may be cited for heroism in combat and be awarded more than one decoration authorizing the device, only one "V" device may be worn on each award. The "V" device may also be authorized for the Air Medal by all the services where heroism in aerial combat was involved on an individual mission. The criteria for the device vary between the services:
Army and Air Force
The bronze "V" is positioned to the right of any bronze or silver oak leaf clusters from the wearer's perspective, or positioned in center of the service ribbon if worn alone. The following examples depict decorations that were awarded with the "V" Device in at least one instance:
Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard
For the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, the "V" is always worn in the center of the service ribbon, while any gold or silver 5⁄16 Inch Stars are added in balance to the right and left of the "V" starting with the right side from the wearer's perspective. The Navy and Marine Corps use an anodized gold version, while the Coast Guard uses a bronze version like the Army and Air Force. The following examples depict decorations that were awarded with the device in at least one instance:
Decorations authorized the "V" device
The following medals including the Joint Service Commendation Medal are authorized the "V" device if applicable:
History
In 1944, the Army authorized a brass "V", for valor, as an attachment to be worn on the Bronze Star Medal. The "V" ("V" Device) was first worn by Army personnel to denote an award for valor in 1945. The Secretary of the Navy authorized the "V" (Combat "V") for the Bronze Star Medal and the Legion of Merit on February 13, 1946.
In 1996, the "V" device garnered public attention after the suicide of Admiral Jeremy Boorda, who was the Chief of Naval Operations of the Department of the Navy. The news media reported that his death by suicide may have been caused by a Navy investigation (following a media story) into whether he was wearing this device on the service ribbons of his uniform without authorization. Admiral Boorda had been wearing a Combat "V" on two decorations he was awarded during the Vietnam War as a weapons officer and executive officer aboard two naval ships off the coast of Vietnam. Although there were indications these devices were authorized to be worn on his Navy Commendation and Achievement Medals, the Department of the Navy Board For Correction of Naval Records determined after his death that both of the devices were not authorized to be worn.
In 2011 the Department of Defense updated regulations concerning the Medal of Honor, specifying that the "V" device (instead of the oak leaf cluster and 5/16 inch star) would be used to denote additional citations in the rare event of a soldier being awarded a second MoH. In May 2015 the DoD changed the updated regulations concerning the MoH to specify that "A separate MOH is presented to an individual for each succeeding act that justifies award." There has not been a living repeat Medal of Honor recipient since the World War I era.