"V" Device

The "V" Device (also the Combat Distinguishing Device or Combat "V"), is a miniature bronze or gold ¹⁄₄ inch letter "V" (valor) with serifs that is authorized by the United States Armed Forces as a medal and ribbon device for a defined set of decorations.^[1] The "V" device if authorized, may be attached to the suspension and service ribbon of the medal.

The Army and Air Force refer to the "V" as the "V" Device. The Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard refer to the "V" as the Combat Distinguishing Device or Combat "V".^[2][3][4][5] The criteria for and wear of the "V" device differs among the services.^[6]

Criteria and wear

The "V" device must be specifically authorized in the award citation for wear on the decoration. Although a service member may be cited for heroism in combat and be awarded more than one decoration authorizing the device, only one "V" device may be worn on each award.^[1] The "V" device may also be authorized for the Air Medal by all the services where heroism in aerial combat was involved on an individual mission. The criteria for the device vary between the services:

• Army – the "V" is worn solely to denote "participation in acts of heroism involving conflict with an armed enemy".^[2]
• Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard – the "V" is worn to denote combat heroism or to recognize individuals who are "exposed to personal hazard during direct participation in combat operations".^[1][4][5]
• Air Force – the "V" is worn on the Bronze Star Medal to denote heroism in combat, on the Commendation Medal and Achievement Medal to denote heroism or being "placed in harms' way" during contingency deployment operations. Prior to January 1, 2014, the device was also authorized on Outstanding Unit Awards and Organizational Excellence Awards to indicate the unit participated in direct combat support actions.^[3]

Army and Air Force

The bronze "V" is positioned to the right of any bronze or silver oak leaf clusters from the wearer's perspective, or positioned in center of the service ribbon if worn alone.^[7][8] The following examples depict decorations that were awarded with the "V" Device in at least one instance:

	Distinguished Flying Cross
	Bronze Star Medal
	Joint Service Commendation Medal
	Army Commendation Medal
	Air Force Achievement Medal

Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard

The bronze "V" (or gold anodized "V" for USN/USMC) for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, is always worn in the center of the service ribbon, while any gold or silver ⁵⁄₁₆ Inch Stars are added in balance to the right and left of the "V" starting with the right side from the wearer's perspective.^[9][10][11] A gold anodized "V" may be used to match gold anodized versions of the original decorations. The following examples depict decorations that were awarded with the Combat "V" in at least one instance:

	Legion of Merit
	Distinguished Flying Cross
	Bronze Star Medal
	Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
	Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
	Coast Guard Commendation Medal

Medals and ribbons authorized the "V" device

The individual service branches authorize the "V" on different medals and ribbons:

Decorations	Army[2]	Navy and Marine Corps[4]	Air Force[3]	Coast Guard[5]
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Air Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army, Navy-Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard Commendation Medals
Army, Navy-Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard Achievement Medals

History

In 1944, the Army authorized a brass "V", for valor, as an attachment to be worn on the Bronze Star Medal.^[12] The "V" ("V" Device) was first worn by Army personnel to denote an award for valor in 1945.^[1] The Secretary of the Navy authorized the "V" (Combat "V") for the Bronze Star Medal and the Legion of Merit on February 13, 1946.

In 1996, the "V" device garnered public attention after the suicide of Admiral Jeremy Boorda, who was the Chief of Naval Operations of the Department of the Navy. The news media reported that his death by suicide may have been caused by a Navy investigation into whether he was wearing this device on the service ribbons of his uniform without authorization. Admiral Boorda had been wearing a Combat "V" on two decorations he was awarded during the Vietnam War as a weapons officer and executive officer aboard two naval ships off the coast of Vietnam. Although there were indications these devices were authorized to be worn on his Navy Commendation and Achievement Medals, the Department of the Navy Board For Correction of Naval Records determined after his death that both of the devices were not authorized to be worn.^[13]

In 2011, updated DoD regulations concerning the Medal of Honor (MOH) specified that the "V" device instead of the oak leaf cluster and 5/16 inch star, would be used to denote additional citations in the rare event of a second Medal of Honor recipient. This was the first authorized use of the "V" device for a Medal of Honor. As of August 26, 2015, there has not been a living repeat Medal of Honor recipient since the era of World War I, and devises are no longer authorized for this award. In the event a Medal of Honor recipient is awarded a second Medal of Honor, a separate Medal of Honor will be presented to the individual with a second Medal of Honor service ribbon that is authorized for wear by the recipient.^[14]

Notable recipients

See also

• Awards and decorations of the United States military
• United States military award devices

References