A unit citation is a formal, honorary mention by high authority of a military unit's specific and outstanding performance, notably in battle. Similar mentions can also be made for individual soldiers. Alternatively or concurrently, the unit can be awarded an honorary title, a mention on the flag or a decoration. In France, since 1916, the ''

fourragère The ''fourragère'' (, from , "fodder") is a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, in the form of a braided cord. The award was first adopted by France, followed by other nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, ...

'' (an ornamental colored cord) is worn on the uniform by the members of a unit which had received several citations. This tradition has since spread to other countries.

Unit citations by country

Australia

Unit Citation for Gallantry The Unit Citation for Gallantry is a collective group decoration awarded to members of Australian military units. It recognises extraordinary gallantry in action. The Unit Citation for Gallantry was created in 1991, along with the Meritorious Uni ...

Meritorious Unit Citation The Meritorious Unit Citation is a collective group decoration awarded to members of Australian military units. It recognises sustained outstanding service in warlike operations. The Meritorious Unit Citation was created in 1991, along with the ...

* Group Bravery Citation – civilian award

Belgium

Croix de guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...

WWII version (also an individual award)

Canada

Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation The Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation (French: is a Canadian award given to military units for "an extraordinary deed or activity of a rare high standard in extremely hazardous circumstances". Not only Canadian military units are eligible; Com ...

(combat zone) *

Canadian Forces' Unit Commendation The Canadian Forces' Unit Commendation (French: ) is an award given to military units for "a deed or activity considered beyond the demand of normal duty". Not only Canadian military units are eligible; Commonwealth and foreign units are also elig ...

(non-combat zone)

France

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

(also an individual award) NOLH Streamer

Ordre de la Libération The Order of Liberation (, ) is a French Order which was awarded to heroes of the Liberation of France during World War II. It is a worn by recipients only before the ''Légion d’Honneur'' (Legion of Honour). In the official portrait of G ...

(also an individual award) *

Médaille militaire The ''Médaille militaire'' (, "Military Medal") is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...

(also an individual award)

India

*Chief of Air Staff’s citation - for

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...

units *

President's Colour Award The President's Colour Award is the highest honour that can be bestowed upon any military unit of India. It is also known as ''Nishaan'', which is an emblem that is worn by all unit officers on the left-hand sleeve of their uniform. The presen ...

- the award of

Military colours, standards and guidons In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards, flags, or guidons, both to act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 year ...

Indian Armed Forces The Indian Armed Forces are the armed forces, military forces of the India, Republic of India. It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force.—— Additionally, the Indian Ar ...

units

Luxembourg

Luxembourg War Cross The Luxembourg War Cross (, ) is a military decoration of Luxembourg. It was created on 17 April 1945 by the Duchess, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg. The War Cross recognizes military service and feats of bravery. The medal is often referred ...

(also an individual award) Luxembourg Croix de guerre unit Citation strem

Netherlands

Military William Order The Military William Order, or often named Military Order of William ( Dutch: , abbreviation: MWO), is the oldest and highest honour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is named after St. William of Gellone (755–814), the first Prince of Ora ...

(also an individual award)

Philippines

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation The Philippine Presidential Unit citation BadgeThe AFP Adjutant General, ''Awards and Decorations Handbook'', 1997, OTAG, p. 65. is a unit decoration of the Republic of the Philippines. It has been awarded to certain units of the United States ...

* Barangay Presidential Unit Citation Badge * various single incident commemorative unit citations/badges.

Portugal

* War Cross (also an individual award)

South Korea

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation () is a military unit award of the government of Republic of Korea that may be presented to South Korean and foreign military units for outstanding performance in defense of the Republic of Korea. In recognition of a ...

South Vietnam

* Republic of Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation Streamer PUC Vietnam

Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross also known as the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross or Vietnam Cross of Gallantry () is a military decoration of the former Government of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam). The medal was created on August 15, 1 ...

(also an individual award) VGCP Streamer

* Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation (also an individual award) Streamer RVMUCCA

United States

Military (in order of precedence) {, class=wikitable , - !Level !Army !Navy/Marines !Air Force !Coast Guard !Individual
equivalent , - !rowspan=2, Commander-in-Chief , colspan=4 align="center", Presidential Unit Citation , rowspan=2, Distinguished Service Cross (Army)

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...

Air Force Cross

Coast Guard Cross The Coast Guard Cross (CGC) is the United States Coast Guard's second highest Awards and decorations of the United States military, military decoration for coast guardsmen who distinguish themselves extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed en ...

, - , align="center", Streamer PUC Army

, align="center",

, align="center", Streamer PUC Army

, align="center", CG PUC Streamer

, - !Department of Defense , colspan=4 align="center",

Joint Meritorious Unit Award The Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) is a US military award that was established on June 4, 1981, by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982. The Joint Meritor ...

, ,

Defense Superior Service Medal The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant ...

, - !rowspan=3, branch-specific awards ,

Valorous Unit Award The Valorous Unit Award (VUA) is the second highest United States Army unit decoration which may be bestowed upon an Army unit after the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). The VUA is awarded by the United States Army to units of the United State ...

, ,

Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) is a United States Navy and United States Coast Guard unit award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944. History Navy A navy, naval force, military m ...

, ,

Gallant Unit Citation The Gallant Unit Citation (GUC), a United States Air Force and United States Space Force unit award, was approved in March 2004 and is awarded to any Air Force or Space Force unit which distinguishes itself by extraordinary heroism while engaged i ...

, ,

Coast Guard Unit Commendation The Coast Guard Unit Commendation is the highest peacetime unit award that may be awarded to military commands of the United States Coast Guard. The decoration was first created in 1963 and is presented to members of any Coast Guard unit that di ...

, ,

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...

(VUA, GUC)
Silver Star or

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States military, military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievemen ...

(NUC)

Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include: Singapore *Pingat Jasa Gemilang, or Meritorious Services Me ...

(CGUC) , - ,

Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or ...

, ,

Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or ...

, ,

Air Force Meritorious Unit Award The Meritorious Unit Award or MUA is a mid level unit award of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. Established in 2004, the award recognizes those units who demonstrate exceptionally meritorious conduct in direct support of ...

, ,

Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The United States Army, U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstand ...

, , Legion of Merit (MUC, AFMUA)

Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

(NMUC)
CG Achievement Medal (CGMUC) , - , Superior Unit Award
Streamer SUC

, , none , ,

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and was the first independent Air Force ...

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Streamer

, ,

Meritorious Team Commendation The Meritorious Team Commendation (MTC) is a unit award of the United States Coast Guard. Created on 22 December 1993, the Meritorious Team Commendation is awarded for performance of exceptional actions that would normally warrant a Commandant's ...

, , Commandant's Letter of Commendation (MTC) , - !Efficiency awards , None , ,

Navy E Ribbon A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

, ,

Organizational Excellence Award The Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award (ASOEA) is a unit award of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was created by the Secretary of the Air Force on 26 August 1969 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. Th ...

, , Coast Guard E Ribbon , , – Others (alphabetical) * Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation (

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...

) * Merchant Marine Gallant Ship Citation (

United States Merchant Marine The United States Merchant Marine is an organization composed of United States civilian sailor, mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of ...

) *

National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation The National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation (NIMUC) is an award of the National Intelligence Awards Program, for contributions to the United States Intelligence Community. It may be "...awarded for the collective performance of a unit or g ...

(

United States Intelligence Community The United States Intelligence Community (IC) is a group of separate US federal government, U.S. federal government intelligence agencies and subordinate organizations that work to conduct Intelligence assessment, intelligence activities which ...

) * NGA Meritorious Unit Award (

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense whose primary mission is collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) to support national se ...

), and its predecessor the NIMA Meritorious Unit Award (

National Imagery and Mapping Agency The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense whose primary mission is collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) to support national ...

) * NOAA Unit Citation Award (

NOAA Corps The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (informally the NOAA Corps) is one of eight federal uniformed services of the United States, and operates under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (N ...

) *

Public Health Service Commissioned Corps The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHSCC; also referred to as the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service) is the Uniformed services, uniformed service branch of the United States Public Health S ...

: ** 3 levels- PHS Presidential Unit Citation, PHS Outstanding Unit Citation, PHS Unit Commendation. ** Also the PHS Bicentennial Unit Commendation Award *

Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award The Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award, formerly known as the DOT Outstanding Unit Award, is a U.S. government unit decoration which was established in 1994. The Presidential Unit Citation and Joint Meritorious Unit Award are ...

( Department of Transportation, also a pre-2003 award of the United States Coast Guard) * Unit Award for Excellence of Service (

United States Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the management and conservation ...

) Further, there are various unit awards of the

National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...

state defense forces In the United States, state defense forces (SDFs) are military units that operate under the sole authority of a State governments of the United States, state government. State defense forces are authorized by state and federal law and are unde ...

, and auxiliaries like the

Civil Air Patrol Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a Congressional charter, congressionally chartered, federally supported Nonprofit corporation, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliaries, auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CA ...

and

Coast Guard Auxiliary The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGAUX, CGAux, or USCG Aux) is the uniformed, civilian volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard. Congress established the military organization, unit on 23 June 1939, as the United States Coa ...

Sources and references

*''Nouveau Petit Larousse Illustré'', 1951 (in French) Military awards and decorations