1273:
1116:
1393:
1333:
1345:
1104:
1140:
1249:
1152:
1321:
1164:
107:
1213:
1128:
1357:
1381:
1369:
1297:
1405:
1225:
1176:
1285:
1261:
1237:
1309:
32:
1201:
100:
216:
Members of service-specific units are eligible for awards of personal decorations from their parent service. The DSSM specifically recognizes exceptionally superior service, and to honor a person's accomplishments over a sustained period. Joint or
Department of Defense awards, including the DSSM, may
258:
superimposed over a medium blue pentagon. The eagle has outstretched wings, with the shield of the United States charged on its breast. In its talons are three crossed arrows in silver. The tips of the wings cover a surrounding arc of silver five-pointed stars encircling the top and sides of the
207:
to members of the United States Armed Forces who render superior meritorious service in a position of great responsibility. This service must be part of a joint activity. The award is generally for a period of time exceeding 12 months and encompassing an entire joint assignment. Service members
208:
assigned to or attached to a Joint Task Force as individuals, not members of a specific military service's unit, can be eligible. It has also been awarded to a small cohort of U.S. military officers serving as astronauts for service leading up to and during
212:
missions carrying classified and unclassified
Department of Defense payloads. In these cases, the 12-month time period was considered to include the training period prior to that flight, which typically exceeded a year in duration.
1430:
225:
At its time of creation, it was decided the DSSM would be obtained at the lowest possible cost and with as little involvement as possible. For these reasons, and because it would rank just below the
203:
The
Defense Superior Service Medal is the United States Department of Defense's second-highest non-combat-related military award and the second-highest joint service decoration. It is given by the
1087:
229:
for similar service, it was decided to use the same design as the
Defense Distinguished Service Medal, finished in silver rather than gold, and with the inscriptions on the medal's
1445:
381:
925:
1078:
158:
176:, followed by a lesser number of Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force colonels and Navy and Coast Guard captains. Presented in the name of the
165:, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility.
1440:
1119:
1003:
1034:
1396:
419:
967:
1336:
1071:
502:
1348:
707:
1064:
974:
1435:
1107:
226:
162:
60:
936:
476:
204:
177:
1143:
511:
1252:
1324:
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1216:
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533:
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70:
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455:
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1007:
1038:
879:
438:
431:
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1344:
978:
627:
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pentagon, while the bottom is surrounded by a silver wreath encircling the base composed of a
1288:
1264:
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1103:
662:
543:
444:
1240:
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896:
858:
550:
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1248:
1151:
968:"Department of Defense Manual 1348.33, Volume 1 Manual of Military Decorations and Awards"
8:
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527:
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388:
251:
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42:
1212:
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536:
483:
461:
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1167:
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830:
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131:
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1380:
1368:
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557:
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inches (3.5 cm) wide composed of these vertical stripes: Golden Yellow
755:
748:
583:
434:
173:
689:
676:
514:
425:
1200:
52:
Superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility
779:
727:
620:
364:
Subsequent awards of the
Defense Superior Service Medal are denoted by
255:
823:
236:
The medal is made of a silver-colored metal with blue enamel, and is
1431:
Awards and decorations of the United States
Department of Defense
1088:
Joint awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces
266:
The reverse is plain except for the inscription at the top,
1006:. US Air Force. Air Force Personnel Center. Archived from
382:
Category:Recipients of the
Defense Superior Service Medal
195:, albeit awarded for service in a joint duty capacity.
99:
16:
United States
Defense Department superior service medal
730:, Marine Corps, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
977:. 12 October 2011. pp. 40–41. Archived from
1446:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
1422:
263:on the left and an olive branch on the right.
1072:
962:
960:
958:
956:
1037:. The Institute of Heraldry. Archived from
270:. Below in the pentagon is the inscription
1079:
1065:
1004:"Defense Superior Service Medal factsheet"
953:
1441:1976 establishments in the United States
1120:Homeland Security Distinguished Service
503:Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
1423:
1029:
1027:
1025:
1337:Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary
1060:
892:Colonel Fred H Wisely, U.S. Air Force
708:Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
375:
277:The medal is suspended from a ribbon
975:Defense Technical Information Center
191:. It is analogous and senior to the
1022:
996:
424:Command Master Chief Petty Officer
227:Defense Distinguished Service Medal
163:United States Department of Defense
61:United States Department of Defense
13:
351:inch (0.64 cm) Golden Yellow
180:, it was established by President
178:United States Secretary of Defense
14:
1457:
775:Colonel Jack Warren Russell, Army
1403:
1391:
1379:
1367:
1355:
1343:
1331:
1319:
1307:
1295:
1283:
1271:
1259:
1247:
1235:
1223:
1211:
1199:
1174:
1162:
1150:
1138:
1126:
1114:
1102:
1035:"Defense Superior Service Medal"
272:From The Secretary of Defense To
105:
98:
30:
1349:Global War on Terrorism Service
250:inches (4.8 cm) high. The
918:
420:Commandant of the Marine Corps
341:inch (0.48 cm), Bluebird
301:inch (0.48 cm), Bluebird
168:It is most often presented to
151:Defense Superior Service Medal
25:Defense Superior Service Medal
1:
1397:Outstanding Volunteer Service
1108:Defense Distinguished Service
911:
321:inch (0.48 cm), Scarlet
220:
7:
1144:Defense Meritorious Service
692:, Air Force, NASA astronaut
492:, Air Force, NASA astronaut
368:worn on the suspension and
331:inch (0.32 cm), White
311:inch (0.64 cm), White
198:
10:
1462:
1436:Awards established in 1976
1253:Armed Forces Expeditionary
1156:Joint Service Commendation
1095:Joint military decorations
604:Sergeant Major of the Army
567:Sergeant Major of the Army
468:Sergeant Major of the Army
452:Daniel Christopher Burbank
379:
71:United States Armed Forces
1325:Inherent Resolve Campaign
1189:
1168:Joint Service Achievement
1094:
973:. Department of Defense.
217:be awarded posthumously.
137:
127:
122:
118:
97:
93:
85:
77:
66:
56:
48:
38:
29:
24:
1217:National Defense Service
1132:Defense Superior Service
233:appropriately modified.
880:James A. Winnefeld, Jr.
184:on February 6, 1976 in
1277:Southwest Asia Service
1180:Joint Meritorious Unit
935:. 2016. Archived from
840:, Army, NASA astronaut
43:Superior service medal
1361:Korea Defense Service
663:Charles H. Jacoby Jr.
544:Charles J. Dunlap Jr.
445:Nancy Elizabeth Brown
361:inch (0.48 cm).
1409:Armed Forces Reserve
1385:Humanitarian Service
1373:Armed Forces Service
1301:Afghanistan Campaign
897:Walter H. Yates, Jr.
859:Edward F. Welch, Jr.
551:Patrick G. Forrester
497:Kim Campbell (pilot)
268:For Superior Service
205:Secretary of Defense
871:Lieutenant General
829:Lieutenant General
675:Lieutenant General
656:Kenneth W. Hunzeker
654:Lieutenant General
633:Lieutenant General
614:Rebecca S. Halstead
598:Vincent L. Griffith
575:Lieutenant General
556:Lieutenant General
528:Susan Y. Desjardins
480:Michael R. Clifford
471:Raymond F. Chandler
159:military decoration
1229:Antarctica Service
1010:on 14 October 2012
866:Frank D. Whitworth
822:Brigadier General
817:Joseph C. Strasser
801:Brigadier General
761:Brigadier General
754:Brigadier General
719:Brigadier General
612:Brigadier General
591:Wendell L. Griffin
537:Sharon K.G. Dunbar
526:Brigadier General
477:Lieutenant Colonel
462:Michael P.C. Carns
376:Notable recipients
128:Next (higher)
1418:
1417:
984:on March 22, 2011
873:Frances C. Wilson
831:David P. Valcourt
642:Donald J. Hoffman
512:Brigadier General
506:Ramon Colon-Lopez
366:oak leaf clusters
254:depicts a silver
147:
146:
138:Next (lower)
132:Silver Star Medal
81:Currently awarded
1453:
1411:
1407:
1399:
1395:
1387:
1383:
1375:
1371:
1363:
1359:
1351:
1347:
1339:
1335:
1327:
1323:
1315:
1311:
1303:
1299:
1291:
1287:
1279:
1275:
1267:
1263:
1255:
1251:
1243:
1239:
1231:
1227:
1219:
1215:
1207:
1203:
1182:
1178:
1170:
1166:
1158:
1154:
1146:
1142:
1134:
1130:
1122:
1118:
1110:
1106:
1081:
1074:
1067:
1058:
1057:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1046:
1031:
1020:
1019:
1017:
1015:
1000:
994:
993:
991:
989:
983:
972:
964:
951:
950:
948:
947:
941:
930:
922:
887:James P. Wisecup
845:Glenn M. Walters
796:Jacob L. Shuford
721:Rafael O'Ferrall
714:Dennis J. Murphy
635:Robert C. Hinson
558:Walter E. Gaskin
521:Stephen E. Cross
360:
359:
355:
350:
349:
345:
340:
339:
335:
330:
329:
325:
320:
319:
315:
310:
309:
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295:
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289:
285:
282:
249:
248:
244:
241:
109:
102:
34:
22:
21:
1461:
1460:
1456:
1455:
1454:
1452:
1451:
1450:
1421:
1420:
1419:
1414:
1402:
1390:
1378:
1366:
1354:
1342:
1330:
1318:
1306:
1294:
1289:Kosovo Campaign
1282:
1270:
1265:Vietnam Service
1258:
1246:
1234:
1222:
1210:
1205:Prisoner of War
1198:
1191:
1185:
1173:
1161:
1149:
1137:
1125:
1113:
1101:
1090:
1085:
1055:
1054:
1044:
1042:
1033:
1032:
1023:
1013:
1011:
1002:
1001:
997:
987:
985:
981:
970:
966:
965:
954:
945:
943:
939:
933:www.esd.whs.mil
928:
924:
923:
919:
914:
909:
852:H. Marshal Ward
803:Donald B. Smith
787:John J. Sheehan
763:John W. Raymond
735:Susan Pamerleau
684:W. Patrick Lang
670:Rodney P. Kelly
577:John F. Goodman
570:Julius W. Gates
416:David H. Berger
392:David Architzel
384:
378:
370:service ribbons
357:
353:
352:
347:
343:
342:
337:
333:
332:
327:
323:
322:
317:
313:
312:
307:
303:
302:
297:
293:
292:
287:
283:
280:
278:
246:
242:
239:
237:
223:
201:
193:Legion of Merit
186:Executive Order
142:Legion of Merit
114:
104:
103:
89:6 February 1976
73:service members
20:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1459:
1449:
1448:
1443:
1438:
1433:
1416:
1415:
1413:
1412:
1400:
1388:
1376:
1364:
1352:
1340:
1328:
1316:
1304:
1292:
1280:
1268:
1256:
1244:
1241:Korean Service
1232:
1220:
1208:
1195:
1193:
1192:service medals
1187:
1186:
1184:
1183:
1171:
1159:
1147:
1135:
1123:
1111:
1098:
1096:
1092:
1091:
1084:
1083:
1076:
1069:
1061:
1053:
1052:
1041:on 18 May 2013
1021:
995:
952:
916:
915:
913:
910:
908:
907:
906:, Marine Corps
900:
895:Major General
893:
890:
883:
876:
875:, Marine Corps
869:
862:
855:
850:Major General
848:
847:, Marine Corps
841:
834:
827:
820:
813:
806:
799:
790:
789:, Marine Corps
783:
776:
773:
770:Ann E. Rondeau
766:
759:
752:
745:
742:David Petraeus
738:
733:Major General
731:
724:
717:
716:, Marine Corps
712:Major General
710:
704:Michael Mullen
700:
693:
686:
680:
673:
668:Major General
666:
659:
652:
645:
638:
631:
624:
617:
610:
607:Robert E. Hall
601:
594:
589:Major General
587:
580:
579:, Marine Corps
573:
564:
554:
547:
542:Major General
540:
531:
524:
518:
509:
500:
493:
490:Eileen Collins
486:
474:
465:
458:
448:
441:
429:
422:
410:
404:Casey M. Beard
398:
385:
377:
374:
372:of the medal.
256:American eagle
222:
219:
200:
197:
182:Gerald R. Ford
145:
144:
139:
135:
134:
129:
125:
124:
120:
119:
116:
115:
112:Service ribbon
110:
95:
94:
91:
90:
87:
83:
82:
79:
75:
74:
68:
64:
63:
58:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
40:
36:
35:
27:
26:
18:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1458:
1447:
1444:
1442:
1439:
1437:
1434:
1432:
1429:
1428:
1426:
1410:
1406:
1401:
1398:
1394:
1389:
1386:
1382:
1377:
1374:
1370:
1365:
1362:
1358:
1353:
1350:
1346:
1341:
1338:
1334:
1329:
1326:
1322:
1317:
1314:
1313:Iraq Campaign
1310:
1305:
1302:
1298:
1293:
1290:
1286:
1281:
1278:
1274:
1269:
1266:
1262:
1257:
1254:
1250:
1245:
1242:
1238:
1233:
1230:
1226:
1221:
1218:
1214:
1209:
1206:
1202:
1197:
1196:
1194:
1188:
1181:
1177:
1172:
1169:
1165:
1160:
1157:
1153:
1148:
1145:
1141:
1136:
1133:
1129:
1124:
1121:
1117:
1112:
1109:
1105:
1100:
1099:
1097:
1093:
1089:
1082:
1077:
1075:
1070:
1068:
1063:
1062:
1059:
1040:
1036:
1030:
1028:
1026:
1009:
1005:
999:
980:
976:
969:
963:
961:
959:
957:
942:on 2017-09-12
938:
934:
927:
921:
917:
905:
904:Anthony Zinni
901:
898:
894:
891:
888:
885:Vice Admiral
884:
881:
877:
874:
870:
867:
864:Vice Admiral
863:
860:
857:Rear Admiral
856:
853:
849:
846:
842:
839:
835:
832:
828:
825:
821:
818:
815:Rear Admiral
814:
811:
810:Guy Snodgrass
807:
804:
800:
797:
794:
791:
788:
784:
781:
778:Vice Admiral
777:
774:
771:
768:Vice Admiral
767:
764:
760:
757:
753:
750:
746:
743:
739:
736:
732:
729:
725:
722:
718:
715:
711:
709:
705:
701:
698:
694:
691:
687:
685:
681:
678:
674:
671:
667:
664:
660:
657:
653:
650:
649:Jonathan Howe
646:
643:
639:
636:
632:
629:
625:
622:
618:
615:
611:
608:
605:
602:
599:
596:Rear Admiral
595:
592:
588:
585:
581:
578:
574:
571:
568:
565:
563:
559:
555:
552:
548:
545:
541:
538:
535:
534:Major General
532:
529:
525:
522:
519:
516:
513:
510:
507:
504:
501:
498:
494:
491:
487:
485:
481:
478:
475:
472:
469:
466:
463:
459:
457:
453:
449:
446:
443:Vice Admiral
442:
440:
436:
433:
430:
427:
423:
421:
417:
414:
411:
409:
405:
402:
399:
397:
393:
390:
387:
386:
383:
373:
371:
367:
362:
275:
273:
269:
264:
262:
261:laurel branch
257:
253:
234:
232:
228:
218:
214:
211:
210:Space Shuttle
206:
196:
194:
190:
187:
183:
179:
175:
174:flag officers
171:
166:
164:
160:
156:
152:
143:
140:
136:
133:
130:
126:
121:
117:
113:
108:
101:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
69:
65:
62:
59:
55:
51:
47:
44:
41:
37:
33:
28:
23:
1131:
1043:. Retrieved
1039:the original
1012:. Retrieved
1008:the original
998:
986:. Retrieved
979:the original
944:. Retrieved
937:the original
932:
920:
793:Rear Admiral
756:Chad Raduege
749:Colin Powell
628:Harry Harris
584:Frank Gorenc
562:Marine Corps
435:Curtis Brown
389:Vice Admiral
363:
276:
271:
267:
265:
235:
224:
215:
202:
167:
154:
150:
148:
57:Presented by
926:"Issuances"
889:, U.S. Navy
854:, Air Force
826:, Air Force
765:, Air Force
758:, Air Force
737:, Air Force
723:, U.S. Army
697:Rick Miller
690:Mark C. Lee
679:, Air Force
677:Frank Klotz
672:, Air Force
644:, Air Force
637:, Air Force
600:, U.S. Navy
593:, Air Force
586:, Air Force
539:, Air Force
530:, Air Force
523:, Air Force
515:Jesse Cross
508:, Air Force
499:, Air Force
464:, Air Force
456:Coast Guard
426:Rudy Boesch
408:Space Force
86:Established
67:Eligibility
49:Awarded for
1425:Categories
1045:28 October
1014:28 October
988:29 October
946:2018-09-29
912:References
838:James Voss
808:Commander
780:Joe Sestak
728:Peter Pace
621:Carter Ham
380:See also:
221:Appearance
123:Precedence
824:John Tree
439:Air Force
902:General
878:Admiral
843:General
836:Colonel
785:General
747:General
740:General
726:General
706:, Navy,
702:Admiral
695:Captain
688:Colonel
682:Colonel
661:General
647:Admiral
640:General
626:Admiral
619:General
582:General
549:Colonel
495:Colonel
488:Colonel
460:General
450:Captain
199:Criteria
432:Colonel
418:, 38th
413:General
401:Colonel
356:⁄
346:⁄
336:⁄
326:⁄
316:⁄
306:⁄
296:⁄
286:⁄
252:obverse
245:⁄
231:reverse
170:general
161:of the
157:) is a
899:, Army
882:, Navy
868:, Navy
861:, Navy
833:, Army
819:, Navy
812:, Navy
805:, Army
798:, Navy
782:, Navy
772:, Navy
751:, Army
744:, Army
699:, Navy
665:, Army
658:, Army
651:, Navy
630:, Navy
623:, Army
616:, Army
609:, Army
572:, Army
553:, Army
517:, Army
473:, Army
447:, Navy
428:, Navy
78:Status
1190:Joint
982:(PDF)
971:(PDF)
940:(PDF)
929:(PDF)
189:11904
19:Award
1047:2012
1016:2012
990:2012
546:USAF
484:Army
396:Navy
172:and
155:DSSM
149:The
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281:+
279:1
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