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UNCLASSIFIED ROUTINE R 211924Z AUG 17 FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC TO ALNAV INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC CNO WASHINGTON DC CMC WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS ALNAV 055/17 MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/AUG// SUBJ/NEW DEVICES AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR ON CERTAIN MILITARY MEDALS AND RIBBONS// REF/A/DOC/SECDEF/21DEC2016// REF/B/DOC/SECDEF/21DEC2016// REF/C/DOC/SECNAV/22AUG2006// REF/D/MSG/SECNAV/031938ZJUN16// REF/E/MSG/CNO/121452ZJUN17// REF/F/MSG/SECNAV/151534ZNOV12// NARR/REF A IS DODI 1348.33 MILITARY DECORATIONS AND AWARDS PROGRAM. REF B IS DODM 1348.33-V3, MANUAL OF MILITARY DECORATIONS AND AWARDS VOLUME 3: DOD-WIDE PERSONAL PERFORMANCE AND VALOR DECORATIONS. REF C IS SECNAVINST 1650.1H, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AWARDS MANUAL. REF D IS ALNAV 041/16, UPDATED COMBAT AWARDS AUTHORIZATION. REF E IS NAVADMIN 134/17, VALOR AWARDS AND TIMELY RECOGNITION OF VALOR. REF F IS ALNAV 068/12, CRITERIA FOR THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON.// RMKS/1. This All Navy (ALNAV) message provides Department of the Navy (DON) implementation guidance for the bronze letter V, C, and R devices authorized by references (a) and (b) to be worn as appurtenances on certain military decorations when the award recognizes heroism or specific types of meritorious achievement or service occurring after 6 January 2016. Reference (c) is currently under revision and will incorporate this ALNAV. The guidance in this ALNAV for the V, C, and R devices is only applicable to awards for which the date of action or end of the merit period is on or after 7 January 2016. Awards for earlier acts or service are not eligible for the C or R device, and are only eligible for the V device if the criteria in reference (c) are met. No award already approved or presented before publication of this ALNAV will be rescinded, modified, or reissued except as authorized in paragraph 6 below. 2. The V, C, and R devices are appurtenances to certain personal decorations, but may only be approved by commanders/officials under delegated awarding authority if the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) (ASN (M&RA)) has specifically authorized the devices for the named operation or operational area. Pursuant to reference (d), the V, C, and R devices are currently authorized for the following operations and time periods under the policies and procedures set forth in this ALNAV: Operation INHERENT RESOLVE (7 Jan 16 date TBD) Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (7 Jan 16 date TBD) Operation FREEDOMs SENTINEL (7 Jan 16 date TBD) Operation ODYSSEY LIGHTNING (1 Aug 16 19 Dec 16) 3. The V (Valor) Device a. The one-quarter inch bronze V device was previously known within the DON as the Combat Distinguishing Device or Combat V. It was authorized on certain decorations when the awardee was exposed to personal hazard involving direct participation in combat operations. These terms will no longer be used, because they do not reflect the new, more restricted use of the V device directed by reference (a). The V device shall no longer be authorized on any end of tour award, end of deployment award, or any other award made in recognition of a period of meritorious service or achievement. The V is only authorized on awards recognizing specific acts of valor. b. Reference (a) defines valor as an act (or acts) of heroism by an individual above what is normally expected while engaged in direct combat with an enemy of the United States, or an opposing foreign or armed force, with exposure to enemy hostilities and personal risk. An individual does not have to be wounded or killed in order to be eligible for a valor decoration. c. The V device may be authorized on the following decorations to denote the medal was awarded in recognition of valor (award codes in parentheses): Distinguished Flying Cross (DV) Bronze Star Medal (BV) Air Medal (AH) Joint Service Commendation Medal (JV) Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (CV) d. The DV and JV are only awarded in recognition of singular acts of valor, or valorous actions spanning a brief time, (e.g., a few days or a single combat engagement/battle). e. The BV, AH, and CV may be awarded in recognition of singular acts of valor, or in recognition of an accumulation of multiple lesser acts of valor. The latter case applies to heroic actions taken in separate and distinct combat engagements, which do not justify the valor decoration when viewed in isolation, but do when taken together. Historical practice within the DON is that no more than three distinct heroic actions can be combined to justify a single decoration. For example, a Service Member performs heroically in two ground or surface combat engagements a few weeks apart, but neither act rises to the level of the BV. The officer recommending the award has the option of originating two separate nominations for the CV (i.e., one for each act), or combining both heroic actions in one award nomination for the BV. Regardless of how the award nominations are originated in this example, the approval authority will have the option to either: award a BV covering both acts, award a CV covering both acts, award two CVs (one for each act), award a CV for only one of the acts, or approve no award at all. f. The BV, AH, and CV are the only valor decorations that can be justified by amalgamating multiple separate acts of heroism. All higher valor decorations must be justified by a singular act of combat heroism. g. A valor decoration based on accumulation of several lesser acts of heroism, as described in subparagraph 3e above, is not an end of tour or end of deployment award. All valor decorations are specific act awards (also known as impact awards), but may in some cases be based on multiple specific acts. Nominations and citations for such awards will explicitly state the dates of the multiple heroic acts, vice merely stating the entire time period. The V device is not authorized on any award made in recognition of an entire deployment or any other sustained period of service. h. The V device is not authorized when the Air Medal is awarded on the strike/flight, or point, basis. The V device may only be authorized on an Air Medal awarded on the single mission or individual action basis. i. The V device is not authorized on the Medal of Honor (MH), Navy Cross (NX), or Silver Star Medal (SS). These decorations are only awarded in recognition of valor, so the V device would be redundant. Per reference (c), the MH, NX, or SS cannot be justified by an accumulation of lesser acts of valor over a period of time. j. The V device is no longer authorized on the Legion of Merit (LM) or the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (NA). Previously, the V had been authorized when the LM or NA were awarded for periods during which the awardee was exposed to personal hazard involving direct participation in combat operations. Reference (a) now restricts the V to awards for valor, and pursuant to reference (c), neither the LM nor the NA is awarded in recognition of valor. See paragraph 4 below for new guidance on award of the LM and NA under combat conditions. k. All valor decorations must be supported by the sworn testimony of eyewitnesses (minimum of two). The award citation will be limited to the facts established by the eyewitness statements and the other official objective evidence included within the award nomination package. l. Reference (e) contains specific instructions for processing valor decorations in a timely manner. m. The V device may only be worn if specifically authorized by the commander/official approving the award. The citation shall state, The V device for valor is authorized. The certificate shall state, with V device for valor beneath the name of the decoration. The first line of citations for the MH, NX, SS, and DV remain as shown in chapter 2 of reference (c). The first line of all citations for the BV, AH, and CV will begin, For heroic achievement. Examples of the new citation and certificate formats are available at the award branch websites: Navy: https://awards.navy.mil Marine Corps: https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/webcenter/portal /MMMA 4. The C (Combat Conditions) Device a. The one-quarter inch bronze C device is an appurtenance denoting the decoration was awarded in recognition of meritorious service or achievement under combat conditions. Pursuant to reference (a), to warrant this distinction, during the period of the award the recipient must have been personally exposed to hostile action, or must have been at significant risk of exposure to hostile action: (1) While engaged in action against an enemy of the United States; (2) While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or (3) 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. b. Authorization of the C device is based on the specific circumstances under which the service or achievement was performed, and not merely by the geographic location where performed or the unit to which assigned. For example, the fact that the service was performed in a combat zone, a combat zone tax exclusion area, or an area designated for special pay (e.g., Imminent Danger Pay, Hazardous Duty Pay, or Hazardous Fire Pay) is not in itself sufficient to qualify for the C device. The Service Member must have been personally exposed to hostile action, or at significant risk of exposure to hostile action. c. The C device is not restricted by rank or grade, or by rating, warfare qualification, or military occupational specialty. Nor shall any quotas be established governing the number of awards with C device that may be approved for a given operation or time period. d. For those operations and areas so designated by the ASN (M &RA), the C device may be authorized on the following decorations (new award codes in parentheses): Defense Distinguished Service Medal (B1) Distinguished Service Medal (S1) Defense Superior Service Medal (E1) Legion of Merit (L1) Distinguished Flying Cross (D1) Air Medal (A1) Joint Service Commendation Medal (J1) Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (C1) Joint Service Achievement Medal (F1) Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (N1) e. The C device is not authorized on the Bronze Star Medal (BS). Pursuant to reference (a), the BS may only be awarded for meritorious service when the recipient was either personally exposed to hostile action, or was at significant risk of exposure to hostile action. Therefore, a C device would be redundant. f. The C device is not authorized on the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (MR) or the Meritorious Service Medal (MM). Both of these decorations are intended to recognize meritorious service or achievement at the same level as the BS, but only when not performed under combat conditions. If the performance was under combat conditions, the BS is the appropriate award, vice the MR or MM. g. The C device may be authorized on the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and the single mission Air Medal to distinguish them from DFCs and Air Medals awarded for non-combat heroism or achievement in aerial flight. However, the C device is not authorized when the Air Medal is awarded on the strike/flight basis. h. Eyewitness statements are not required for justification of the C device. Eyewitness statements are also not required when the BS is awarded for meritorious achievement or service (i.e., without the V device). i. The C device may only be worn if explicitly indicated in the documents signed by the award approval authority. The citation must state, The combat conditions C device is authorized, and the certificate must state, with combat C device. j. The first line of decorations under combat conditions shall read: (1) Distinguished Service Medal with C (S1): For exceptionally meritorious service to the United States in a duty of great responsibility while serving under combat conditions as [title ]. (2) Legion of Merit with C (L1): For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service under combat conditions as . (3) Distinguished Flying Cross with C (D1): For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight under combat conditions as . (4) Air Medal with C (A1): For meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight under combat conditions as . (5) Bronze Star Medal (BS): For meritorious achievement (or service) in connection with combat operations as . (6) Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with C (C1): For meritorious achievement (or service) under combat conditions as . (7) Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with C (N1): For professional (or leadership) achievement under combat conditions as . k. The words heroism and heroic will not be used in any citation for any meritorious award under combat conditions. Heroism under combat conditions is valor, and a valor decoration is the more appropriate form of recognition. l. Authorization of the C device does not entitle the award recipient to wear the Combat Action Ribbon (CAR). Current CAR criteria are in reference (f), and are more restrictive than those for the C device. Therefore, it is possible to receive a personal decoration with a C device, but not qualify for the CAR. For example, during a deployment a Service Member may have been at significant risk of exposure to hostile action (i.e., met C device criteria), but never actively participated in a ground or surface combat engagement (i.e., did not meet basic CAR criteria). m. By contrast, since the CAR criteria are more restrictive than those for the C device, qualifying for the CAR necessarily satisfies the personal exposure to hostile action requirement for the C device. For example, if the award recipient qualified for the CAR (or would have qualified but for the limitation of one CAR for each named operation) during the period covered by a personal decoration for meritorious achievement, that decoration also qualifies for the C device. 5. The R (Remote Impact) Device a. Pursuant to reference (a), the one quarter inch bronze R device may be authorized on certain personal decorations to denote the medal was awarded for the direct hands-on employment of a weapon system, or for other warfighting activities that had a direct and immediate impact on a combat operation or other military operation (i.e., outcome of an engagement or specific effects on a target). The action must have been performed through any domain, in circumstances that did not expose the individual to hostile action, or place him or her at significant risk of exposure to hostile action: (1) While engaged in action against an enemy of the United States; (2) While engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or (3) 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. b. For those operations and areas so designated by ASN (M&RA), the R device may be authorized on the following decorations (codes in parentheses): Defense Superior Service Medal (E2) Legion of Merit (L2) Defense Meritorious Service Medal (G2) Meritorious Service Medal (M2) Joint Service Commendation Medal (J2) Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (C2) Joint Service Achievement Medal (F2) Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (N2) c. The R device is only authorized on the medals listed in subparagraph 5b above if they are awarded in recognition of specific achievement (i.e., impact awards). The R device shall not be authorized on any medal awarded in recognition of sustained meritorious performance, such as end of deployment, end of tour, or retirement awards. d. The R device may only be worn on a ribbon if explicitly indicated in the award approval documents. The citation must state, The remote impact R device is authorized, and the certificate must state, with R device. The first line of the citation will be in accordance with reference (c), except the words heroism and heroic shall not be used for any award on which the R device is authorized. Sample citations and certificates are available at the award branch websites: Navy: https://awards.navy.mil Marine Corps: https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/webcenter/portal /MMMA e. The R device is not authorized on the BS, because the criteria for these are mutually exclusive. f. The R device is also not authorized on the DFC or the Air Medal. No circumstances have been identified under which the R device would be appropriate on these two medals. g. The intent of the R device is to provide more distinctive recognition of personnel whose actions deliver significant effects on the enemy, or have direct and immediate impact on the success of friendly force military operations, but whose physical location outside the enemy threat envelope precludes them from receiving combat awards or combat devices. Authorization of the R device on a given medal will be based on the circumstances and the impact of the specific achievement. The R device is not restricted by rank or grade, or by rating, warfare qualification, or military occupational specialty. In every case, there must first be a specific achievement worthy of a personal decoration. The R device is only authorized for the circumstances under which the achievement occurred. The following subparagraphs provide some examples of circumstances that might qualify for the R device and others that do not. h. Examples of hands on employment of a weapons system, or other warfighting activities, performed remotely without exposure to hostile action or significant risk of such exposure, that could qualify for the R device: (1) Unmanned aerial vehicle weapon system strikes. (2) Ship-to-shore or surface-to-surface weapon system strikes. (3) Remote piloting of an aircraft providing direct and immediate real-time support vital to the success of forces engaged in combat or conducting a raid or hostage rescue. Providing directly to such forces real-time intelligence and analysis that is deemed vital to the success of the mission may also qualify. (4) Active cyberwarfare that disrupts the adversarys capabilities or actions. (5) Surface-to-air engagement that disrupts or denies enemy attack on or surveillance of friendly forces. (6) Personally exercising real-time tactical control of a raid or other combat mission from a location not exposed to hostile action. i. Examples of activities not consistent with the intent or criteria of the R device: (1) Headquarters decision making and command, control, and coordination processes; logistical and combat service support operations; or other support operations. (2) Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities not involving direct and immediate real-time participation in a specific in-theater mission. (3) Activities that support, but do not control and operate, weapon systems or platforms. These include, but are not limited to, fueling, arming, or maintaining weapons systems or platforms, and any other activity not immediately involved in employing the weapon system. (4) Support of numerous operations over a period of time. The R device is only authorized for decorations that recognize a specific achievement, such as the impact of ones direct participation remotely in a single mission. 6. Retroactivity a. Pursuant to reference (a), the policies in this ALNAV for the V, C, and R devices are effective for all awards recognizing acts or service on or after 7 January 2016. The following subparagraphs address the procedures for retroactive consideration of awards that have been approved between 7 January 2016 and the publication of this ALNAV. b. V device retroactivity. It is understood that some awards have been approved since 7 January 2016 with citations and certificates containing the phrases the combat distinguishing device is authorized and with Combat V. Some of those awards were in recognition of singular acts of valor or an accumulation of minor acts of valor. On the other hand some may have recognized periods of meritorious service during which the awardee directly participated in combat operations. All such awards remain valid, and there is no requirement to revisit any case. c. C device retroactivity. A Service Member who received one of the decorations listed in subparagraph 4d of this ALNAV in recognition of actions or service on or after 7 January 2016, may request the original approval authority reissue the award with the C device if the circumstances of the award meet all criteria in paragraph 4. If the command that issued the original award verifies the award narrative substantiates the C device, the award documents may be reissued as corrected copies using the language in subparagraphs 4i through 4k of this ALNAV. Corrected award codes must then be reflected in the appropriate records and systems. However, no award that originally included a combat V device shall be reissued with a C device. d. R device retroactivity. A Service Member who received one of the decorations listed in subparagraph 5b of this ALNAV in recognition of specific achievement (vice meritorious service over time) on or after 7 January 2016, may request the original approval authority to reissue the award with the R device if the achievement recognized meets all criteria in paragraph 5. If the original approval authority verifies the award narrative substantiates the R device, the award documents may be reissued as corrected copies using the language in subparagraph 5d. Corrected award codes must then be reflected in the appropriate records and systems. However, no award that originally included a combat V device shall be reissued with an R device. e. Award approval authorities will forward copies of all reissued awards, along with the recovered original award documents, to the awards branches listed in subparagraph 7f below. f. Requests to reissue awards under this policy must be submitted to the original award approval authority no later than 31 December 2018. After that date, all such requests must be forwarded to the service awards branches listed in subparagraph 7f below for adjudication. 7. Coordinating Instructions. a. The Chief of Naval Operations and Commandant of the Marine Corps are delegated authority to approve the V, C, and R devices on individual awards below the SS for the named operations or operation areas designated by ASN (M&RA). Further sub delegation is authorized, but must be in writing. b. Subsequent awards. Only one of each letter device shall be worn on the same ribbon. Subsequent awards shall be denoted by 5/16 inch stars in accordance with reference (c) and the services uniform regulations. c. If only one letter device is worn on a ribbon, it shall be centered. When different letter devices are worn on the same ribbon, the order of precedence shall be in descending order: V, C, and R. The senior device shall be to the wearers right and all letter devices to the right of any stars. d. For any given award recognizing a single act or meritorious period, no more than one of the three letter devices will be authorized: either the V, C, or R. For example, an award of the CV may be awarded in recognition of combat valor. Because the valor inherently occurred under combat conditions, the circumstances would also meet the C device criteria. However, only the more senior V device will be authorized and worn. e. The updated lists of award codes may be found at awards.navy.mil and www.manpower.usmc.mil/webcenter/portal/MMMA. f. Address all questions concerning implementation of these devices to: (1) Navy: Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (DNS-35) 2000 Navy Pentagon Washington, D.C. 20350-2000 (2) Marine Corps: Commandant of the Marine Corps (MMMA) 2008 Elliot Road Quantico, VA 22134-5030 8. Released by the Honorable Richard V. Spencer, Secretary of the Navy.// BT #0001 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//
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