The Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal is a

military decoration Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medal ...

of the Department of Homeland Security, which is presented to United States Armed Forces servicemembers for exceptionally meritorious service. The current version of the medal was established in February 2003, retroactive to March 1, 2002. It is equivalent to the United States Department of Defense's Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

History

The decoration was originally established as the Transportation Distinguished Service Medal by , signed by President George H. W. Bush on December 7, 1992. On February 28, 2003, President George W. Bush signed , which, among other things, replaced the Transportation version of the award with the Homeland Security version retroactively to March 1, 2002. On April 5, 2011, President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

amended Executive Order 12824, as amended, modifying the award eligibility from "a member of the Coast Guard" to "any member of the Armed Forces of the United States".

Order of precedence

As a distinguished service medal, this decoration is one of the highest awards that can be bestowed upon a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. The award would be worn after the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...

, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross and Coast Guard Cross and, for members of the Coast Guard, before the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and any of the service-specific Distinguished Service Medals from the other armed services. For members of the all other military services, the Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal is worn before the service-specific DSMs but after the Defense Distinguished Service Medal. The medal may be awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States.

Notable recipients

* Admiral

Thad W. Allen Thad William Allen (born 16 January 1949) is a former Admiral (United States), admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 23rd Commandant of the Coast Guard, commandant from 2006 to 2010. Allen is best known for his widely prai ...

, first recipient in 2006 for his service in response to Hurricane Katrina, subsequent award in 2010 at the end of his term as Commandant of the Coast Guard *Admiral

Thomas H. Collins Thomas Hansen Collins (born 25 June 1946) is a former Admiral (United States), admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 22nd Commandant of the Coast Guard, commandant from May 2002 to May 2006. Early life and education A nativ ...

, in 2006 at the end of his term as Commandant of the Coast Guard * Vice Admiral

Vivien Crea Vivien S. Crea (born 1952) was the 25th Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard under Admiral Thad W. Allen. Vice Commandant is the second highest position in the Coast Guard, and she was the first woman to hold it. She is the former Co ...

, in 2009 at the end of her term as Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard *

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

Craig R. McKinley, in 2012 at the end of his tenure as the

Chief of the National Guard Bureau The chief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB) is the highest-ranking officer of the National Guard and the head of the National Guard Bureau. The position is a statutory office (), held by a federally recognized commissioned officer who has ser ...

*Admiral Charles D. Michel, in 2018 at the end of his term as Vice-Commandant of the Coast Guard *Admiral

Robert J. Papp Admiral Robert Joseph Papp Jr. (born 25 March 1953) is a retired admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 24th commandant from 2010 to 2014. He led the largest component of the United States Department of Homeland Security, wi ...

, in 2014 at the end of his term as Commandant of the Coast Guard *Vice Admiral David Pekoske, in 2010 at the end of his term as Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard *Admiral

Paul F. Zukunft Paul Frederick Zukunft (born 30 January 1955) is a retired admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 25th commandant. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Commandant, with the rank of admiral, in May 2014 and relieved Ro ...

, in 2011 for his service in response to the

Deepwater Horizon oil spill The ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill (also referred to as the "BP oil spill") was an industrial disaster that began on 20 April 2010 off of the coast of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect, considered ...

and in 2018 at the end of his term as Commandant of the Coast Guard *Admiral

Karl L. Schultz Karl Leo Schultz is a retired United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 26th Commandant of the Coast Guard from 2018 to 2022. Early life and education Schultz is a native of East Hartford, Connecticut. He graduated from the United Stat ...

, in 2022 at the end of his term as Commandant of the Coast Guard

References

External links

* Distinguished Service Medal, Homeland Security Awards established in 2003 * 2003 establishments in the United States {{US interservice decorations

History

Order of precedence

Notable recipients

See also

References

External links