The Silver Star Medal is the third-highest combat decoration in the United States Armed Forces, awarded for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States. It ranks below only the Medal of Honor and the branch Service Crosses, and it is available to members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard, along with certain civilians serving alongside them in combat.
What the Medal Is Awarded For
Three parallel federal statutes authorize the award. Under 10 U.S.C. § 7276 the President may award the medal for gallantry to a person serving in any capacity with the Army; 10 U.S.C. § 8294 covers the Navy and Marine Corps; and 10 U.S.C. § 9276 covers the Air Force and Space Force.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 7276 – Silver Star: Award2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 9276 – Silver Star: Award All three use identical qualifying language, and the gallantry must occur in one of three combat situations:
- Engaged in action against an enemy of the United States.
- Engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force.
- Serving with friendly foreign forces in an armed conflict where the United States is not a belligerent party.
The act itself has to be performed with marked distinction and must clearly exceed what would be expected of any service member in the same situation. If the heroism rises to the level of the Medal of Honor or a Service Cross, those higher awards take priority; if it falls short of the Silver Star threshold, the recommendation is typically downgraded to a Bronze Star with a “V” device or another lower award.3U.S. Department of Defense. Description of Awards
The nomination package requires a detailed written narrative of the specific act, backed by eyewitness statements and official records. Commanders at multiple levels in the chain of command review it to confirm the actions were voluntary and clearly exceeded normal duty expectations.
Where It Ranks on the Uniform
On a uniform, the Silver Star sits in the third position behind the Medal of Honor and the recipient’s branch Service Cross (the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force Cross).3U.S. Department of Defense. Description of Awards The Bronze Star Medal with “V” device falls immediately below it.
A recipient who earns the Silver Star more than once does not wear multiple medals. Army and Air Force recipients add a bronze oak leaf cluster to the ribbon for each subsequent award, and Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard recipients add a gold star.
Who Can Receive It
The statutory language in each authorizing section awards the medal to “a person who, while serving in any capacity” with the relevant branch, which means the medal is not limited to uniformed personnel.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 7276 – Silver Star: Award4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 8294 – Silver Star Medal In past conflicts, civilians serving alongside armed forces, including journalists, medical workers, and Red Cross employees, have received it. Those civilians must meet the same gallantry-in-action standard as any service member. Rank, role, and gender are not factors in the decision.
Posthumous Awards
When a service member dies during the act of gallantry, the Silver Star is awarded posthumously and presented to the primary next of kin at a formal ceremony. Army Regulation 600-8-22 sets the order of precedence for next of kin: surviving spouse, eldest surviving child, parent, a person granted legal custody by court order, eldest surviving sibling, eldest surviving grandparent, and eldest surviving grandchild.5Department of the Army. Army Regulation 600-8-22 – Military Awards Other branches follow similar protocols.
Deadlines for Nominating Someone
Federal law imposes strict timing. Under 10 U.S.C. § 8298, and parallel provisions across branches, a superior must submit a recommendation through official channels within three years of the act of valor, and the award itself must be made within five years of that act.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 8298 – Limitations of Time
Two safety valves exist. If the Secretary of the relevant branch determines that a recommendation was submitted on time and supported by sufficient evidence but was never acted on because the paperwork was lost or overlooked, the award can be made within two years of that determination.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 8298 – Limitations of Time Separately, 10 U.S.C. § 1130 lets a Member of Congress request that the relevant Secretary review a decoration proposal that is otherwise time-barred. The Secretary must evaluate it under the same standards that would apply to a timely submission and report the rationale to the requesting member and to the Armed Services Committees of both chambers.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 1130 – Consideration of Proposals for Decorations Not Previously Submitted in Timely Fashion Many long-overdue awards from Vietnam, Korea, and World War II have moved through this route. If you believe a veteran deserved recognition that was never processed, your first step is your representative or senator’s office.
Upgrading a Lower Award
Sometimes a service member received a lesser award at the time, and later evidence suggests the Silver Star was warranted. Each branch operates a Board for Correction of Military Records (or, for the Navy and Marine Corps, the Board for Correction of Naval Records). The board is the highest level of administrative review within its department and has authority to correct errors or remove injustices in military records.
A veteran or representative submits DD Form 149 with supporting evidence such as witness statements, military orders, and a written argument explaining why the original decision was wrong. All other administrative remedies must be exhausted first. The statute of limitations is three years from the date the error or injustice was discovered, though the board may waive that deadline in the interest of justice.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 1130 – Consideration of Proposals for Decorations Not Previously Submitted in Timely Fashion The board’s decision is final and binding on all officials within that military department. A congressional inquiry under § 1130 and a board application can work in tandem: the board corrects records based on error or injustice, while § 1130 addresses timely-submission barriers.
Benefits That Come With the Award
Retired Pay Increase
Under 10 U.S.C. § 1402(f), certain enlisted members who retire from the Army or Air Force and later return to active duty can receive a 10 percent increase in recomputed retired pay if they have been credited with extraordinary heroism in the line of duty.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 1402 – Recomputation of Retired or Retainer Pay to Reflect Advancement The Secretary’s determination of extraordinary heroism is conclusive. The provision references retirement under § 7314 (Army) and § 9314 (Air Force); no parallel statute currently provides the same increase for Navy or Marine Corps enlisted personnel.
The Silver Star itself does not automatically trigger this pay increase. The statute requires a separate finding of extraordinary heroism, which the medal strongly supports but does not guarantee on its own. Except for Vietnam-era veterans, the increased retired pay is capped at 75 percent of the basic pay rate used for the recomputation.
Arlington National Cemetery Burial
Silver Star recipients are eligible for in-ground burial (casket or cremated remains) at Arlington National Cemetery under 32 CFR Part 553. The cemetery’s eligibility criteria list Silver Star recipients alongside Medal of Honor, Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, and Purple Heart recipients.9Arlington National Cemetery. Eligibility Eligibility is verified at the time of death and cannot be pre-confirmed. Standard disqualifying conditions apply, including conviction of a federal or state capital crime.
Replacing a Lost or Damaged Medal
Veterans and authorized family members can request replacement medals at no cost through the National Personnel Records Center, which verifies award entitlements and forwards the request to the appropriate service department. Requests can be submitted online through the National Archives portal or by mail to the NPRC in St. Louis, Missouri.10National Archives. Military Awards and Decorations The definition of eligible next of kin varies slightly by branch, so family members should check the specific requirements for their veteran’s service before applying.
False Claims and Stolen Valor
The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 makes it a federal crime to fraudulently claim to have received the Silver Star with intent to obtain money, property, or another tangible benefit. The medal is explicitly listed as a protected decoration under 18 U.S.C. § 704(d).11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 704 – Military Medals or Decorations The penalty is a fine, imprisonment for up to one year, or both. “Tangible benefit” reaches beyond cash to items like job offers or preferential treatment that have real value.
Active-duty service members face a second layer. Under Article 107 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (10 U.S.C. § 907), anyone subject to the UCMJ who signs a false official record or makes a false official statement knowing it to be false can be punished as a court-martial may direct.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 907 – Art. 107. False Official Statements; False Swearing A service member who fabricates an action narrative or falsifies witness statements to obtain the Silver Star faces potential court-martial in addition to federal criminal liability.