Air Medal - Variants

Variants

The U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps have two types of Air Medal awards: "Individual" for singular meritorious acts and "Strike/Flight" for participation in sustained aerial flight operations.

As of September 27, 2006, gold numerals are used to denote the number of "Individual" Air Medals. This is a return to the standard used before November 22, 1989. In the interval between November 22, 1989 and September 27, 2006, bronze, gold, and silver 5/16 inch stars denoted the number of "Individual" Air Medals awarded. A bronze star was used to denote a first award and gold stars were used for the second through the fifth awards, seventh through tenth awards, and so on. Silver stars were used in lieu of five gold stars, and denote the sixth and eleventh (and so on) awards. For "Individual" Air Medals, the Combat "V" may be authorized.

Bronze Strike/Flight numerals denote the number of Strike/Flight awards.

The United States Coast Guard also awards the Air Medal but not the Strike/Flight Award. Gold and silver 5/16 inch stars are authorized for wear to denote additional Air Medal awards. The gold star denotes the second through fifth award of the Air Medal. The Coast Guard is not authorized any other military device for the Air Medal.

During World War II, the Air Medal was also awarded to members of the Civil Air Patrol that had been participants in that organization's anti-submarine patrol program.