Air Force Distinguished Service Medal

This article is about Air Force-awarded Distinguished Service Medal. For other U.S. versions, see Distinguished Service Medal (United States).

Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Awarded by United States Air Force
Type	Medal
Eligibility	members of the United States Air Force
Awarded for	exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility, in combat or otherwise
Statistics
Established	6 July 1960
Precedence
Next (higher)	Army - Distinguished Service Cross Navy - Navy Cross Air Force - Air Force Cross
Equivalent	Distinguished Service Medal: Defense, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard
Next (lower)	Silver Star
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal ribbon

The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal was created by an act of the United States Congress on July 6, 1960. The medal was intended as a new decoration of the United States Air Force to replace the policy of awarding the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Air Force personnel.^[1]

The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal is awarded to any member of the United States Air Force who has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the United States Government in a duty of great responsibility. The interpretation of the phrase "great responsibility" means that this medal is generally awarded only to officers who hold at least the rank of Major General. However, as is customary for most military decorations, the requirements for the Distinguished Service Medal are interpreted more liberally when awarded upon retirement. As a result, it is the typical decoration for a retiring Brigadier General, and in recent years it has also been awarded to the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force upon retirement.

Cases of the award of this decoration to an individual who was not a general officer, or the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, are unusual. The medal is typically awarded to senior Air Force generals.^[2] One notable exception is the astronaut Buzz Aldrin who was awarded this decoration even though he retired as a colonel.

The first recipient of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal was Major General Osmond J. Ritland, USAF, who received his medal on November 30, 1965 upon his retirement.^[3]

References

1. ^ Air Force Personnel Center Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
2. ^ "Fact Sheet: Air Force Distinguished Service Medal". Air Force Personnel Center, Randolph Air Force Base. http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=7730. 
3. ^ [http://www.afspc.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-100405-057.pdf "Major General Osmond J. Ritland Inducted 1989"]. Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers. Air Force Space Command. http://www.afspc.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-100405-057.pdf. 

See also

• Distinguished Service Medal (Army)
• Navy Distinguished Service Medal
• Awards and decorations of the United States military

United States Air Force portal