Military Award and Decoration Abbreviations
37 abbreviations · part of Military Abbreviations
Abbreviations for US military decorations, service medals, ribbons, combat and skill badges and unit awards, plus the best-known British gallantry awards. They appear on DD-214 discharge papers, award citations, evaluation reports, obituaries and ribbon racks, usually in order of precedence. Additional awards of the same decoration are shown with oak leaf clusters or stars, and devices such as the "V" indicate valor.
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Description |
|---|---|---|
| AAM | Army Achievement Medal | US Army decoration for meritorious service or achievement of a lesser degree than the Army Commendation Medal, commonly awarded to junior soldiers for specific… |
| ACM | Afghanistan Campaign Medal | US campaign medal for service in Afghanistan or its airspace in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom's Sentinel, from October 2001 through the… |
| AFC | Air Force Cross | Second-highest US Air Force and Space Force decoration for valor, awarded for extraordinary heroism in combat, equivalent to the Army's Distinguished Service Cross and… |
| AFCM | Air Force Commendation Medal | US Air Force and Space Force decoration for outstanding achievement or meritorious service, often awarded to company-grade officers and NCOs at the end of an assignment. |
| AFEM | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | US medal for participation in military operations, often short or limited, that did not have their own campaign medal, such as Lebanon, Grenada, Panama and the Balkans. |
| ARCOM | Army Commendation Medal | US Army decoration for heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service, commonly awarded to soldiers and junior officers at the end of a tour or for outstanding… |
| ASR | Army Service Ribbon | US Army ribbon awarded to soldiers who complete initial entry training, or to officers who complete their basic course, usually the first ribbon a new soldier earns. |
| BSM | Bronze Star Medal | US decoration for heroic or meritorious achievement or service in connection with military operations against an armed enemy. |
| CAB | Combat Action Badge | Awarded to US Army soldiers of any branch who personally engaged or were engaged by the enemy in combat, for those not eligible for the Combat Infantryman or Combat… |
| CAR | Combat Action Ribbon | Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard award for members who actively participated in ground or surface combat, under enemy fire, roughly equivalent to the Army's combat… |
| CIB | Combat Infantryman Badge | Badge for US Army infantry and Special Forces soldiers who personally fought in active ground combat while assigned to an infantry or Special Forces unit. |
| CMB | Combat Medical Badge | Recognition for US Army medical personnel assigned to ground combat units who perform medical duties while engaged in active ground combat, from medics to physicians. |
| DFC | Distinguished Flying Cross | Awarded to aviators and aircrew of all US services for heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight, in combat or in other dangerous flying. |
| DSC | Distinguished Service Cross | Second-highest US Army decoration for valor, awarded for extraordinary heroism in combat that does not meet the Medal of Honor standard. |
| DSM | Distinguished Service Medal | US decoration for exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility, usually awarded to general and flag officers at the end of… |
| DSO | Distinguished Service Order | British military order recognizing leadership during active operations, historically awarded mainly to majors and above for distinguished service under fire. |
| EFMB | Expert Field Medical Badge | Skill badge earned by Army and other medical personnel who pass a difficult test of field medical skills, including combat casualty care, evacuation, communications and… |
| EIB | Expert Infantryman Badge | US Army badge earned by infantry and Special Forces soldiers who pass a demanding test of infantry skills, including weapons, medical tasks, land navigation, fitness… |
| ESB | Expert Soldier Badge | Skill badge introduced by the Army in 2019 for soldiers outside the infantry, Special Forces and medical fields who pass a rigorous test of soldier skills comparable to… |
| GC | George Cross | Highest British award for gallantry not in the face of the enemy, for civilians and military personnel, ranking equal in precedence with the Victoria Cross. |
| GCM | Good Conduct Medal | US medal awarded to enlisted members for a period of exemplary behavior, efficiency and fidelity in active service, typically three or four years depending on the… |
| GWOTEM | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | US medal for service members deployed abroad in support of designated counterterrorism operations, such as in the Horn of Africa, the Philippines or other approved areas. |
| GWOTSM | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | US medal for service members who supported Global War on Terrorism operations, widely awarded to those serving on active duty after the September 11, 2001, attacks. |
| ICM | Iraq Campaign Medal | US campaign medal for service in Iraq or its surrounding waters and airspace in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. |
| JSCM | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Decoration awarded by the Secretary of Defense for meritorious achievement or service while assigned to a joint activity, such as a combatant command or the Joint Staff. |
| LOM | Legion of Merit | Decoration for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services, commonly awarded to colonels, senior NCOs and general officers at… |
| MC | Military Cross | British gallantry award for exemplary acts of bravery during active operations on land, now open to all ranks. |
| MOH | Medal of Honor | Highest US military decoration for valor, awarded for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in combat against an… |
| MOVSM | Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal | US medal for members who perform outstanding, sustained volunteer service to the civilian community over time, such as coaching, mentoring or disaster relief. |
| MSM | Meritorious Service Medal | Non-combat decoration for outstanding meritorious achievement or service in the US armed forces, typically awarded to field-grade officers and senior NCOs at the end of… |
| MUC | Meritorious Unit Commendation | US unit award for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, recognizing an entire unit's achievement over a period rather than… |
| NAM | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal | Navy and Marine Corps decoration for professional or leadership achievement by junior officers and enlisted members, the sea services' entry-level personal decoration. |
| NDSM | National Defense Service Medal | US medal awarded to members who served on active duty during designated periods of national emergency, including the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War and the period… |
| OLC | Oak leaf cluster | Small bronze or silver oak leaf device worn on a ribbon or medal to denote additional awards of the same decoration in the Army and Air Force. |
| OSR | Overseas Service Ribbon | US Army ribbon recognizing completion of an overseas tour, such as in Germany or South Korea, with numerals indicating additional tours. |
| PUC | Presidential Unit Citation | Highest US unit award, given to units for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy, at the level that would merit the Distinguished Service Cross or Navy… |
| VC | Victoria Cross | Highest British and Commonwealth award for gallantry in the face of the enemy, open to all ranks. |
More military abbreviations
- British Military Rank Abbreviations (50)
- Military Pay Grade Abbreviations (44)
- Military Term Abbreviations (248)
- Military Unit and Organization Abbreviations (126)
- Naval Ship Abbreviations (23)
- US Air Force and Space Force Rank Abbreviations (27)
- US Army Rank Abbreviations (34)
- US Marine Corps Rank Abbreviations (25)
- US Navy and Coast Guard Rank Abbreviations (31)
- US Navy and Coast Guard Rating Abbreviations (52)
- Veteran Abbreviations (53)
- Weapon and Military Equipment Abbreviations (77)