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Oak leaf cluster
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| Oak leaf cluster | |
|---|---|
  Bronze and silver oak leaf clusters | |
| Type | Ribbon device |
| Awarded for | To denote preceding decorations and awards.[1] |
| Presented by | Department of Defense Department of the Army Department of the Air Force |
| Status | Currently in use |
An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a specific set of decorations and awards of the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, and Department of the Air Force.[2]
The bronze oak leaf cluster represents one additional award, while the silver oak leaf cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze oak leaf clusters.[3]
Criteria and wear
[edit]Oak leaf clusters are worn with the stems of the leaves pointing to the wearer's right. For medals, 13⁄32-inch (10 mm) oak leaf clusters are worn on the medal's suspension ribbon.[4] For service ribbons, 5⁄16-inch (7.9 mm) oak leaf clusters are worn, with no more than four oak leaf clusters being worn side by side.[4][5] If the number of authorized oak leaf clusters exceeds four, a second ribbon is authorized for wear and is worn after the first ribbon.[3] The second ribbon counts as one additional award, after which more leaf clusters may be added to the second ribbon. If future awards reduce the number of oak leaf clusters worn on the first ribbon due to bronze oak leaf clusters being replaced by a silver oak leaf cluster, the second ribbon is removed and the appropriate number of devices is placed on the first ribbon.[3]
Examples
[edit]The following are examples of the first through twenty-first awards of an Army Commendation Medal with the bronze and silver oak leaf clusters:
| First award | 
|
| Second award | |
| Third award | |
| Fourth award | |
| Fifth award | |
| Sixth award | |
| Seventh award | |
| Eighth award | |
| Ninth award | |
| Tenth award |
|
| Eleventh award | |
| Twelfth award | |
| Thirteenth award | |
| Fourteenth award |
|
| Fifteenth award | |
| Sixteenth award | |
| Seventeenth award | |
| Eighteenth award |
|
| Nineteenth award | |
| Twentieth award | |
| Twenty-first award | |
Decorations and awards
[edit]Oak leaf clusters may be worn on Department of Defense, Department of the Army, and Department of the Air Force decorations and awards presented to members of the eight uniformed services: the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, and the NOAA Commissioned Corps.
| Army personnel[6] | Air Force and Space Force personnel[7] | Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, PHS, and NOAA personnel[8][9][10][11] |
|---|---|---|
| Distinguished Service Cross and Air Force Cross | Distinguished Service Cross and Air Force Cross | Distinguished Service Cross and Air Force Cross |
| Defense Distinguished Service Medal | Defense Distinguished Service Medal | Defense Distinguished Service Medal |
| Distinguished Service Medal and Air Force Distinguished Service Medal | Distinguished Service Medal and Air Force Distinguished Service Medal | Distinguished Service Medal and Air Force Distinguished Service Medal |
| Silver Star | Silver Star | |
| Defense Superior Service Medal | Defense Superior Service Medal | Defense Superior Service Medal |
| Legion of Merit | Legion of Merit | |
| Distinguished Flying Cross | Distinguished Flying Cross | |
| Soldier's Medal and Airman's Medal | Soldier's Medal and Airman's Medal | Soldier's Medal and Airman's Medal |
| Bronze Star Medal | Bronze Star Medal | |
| Purple Heart | Purple Heart | |
| Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Defense Meritorious Service Medal |
| Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal | |
| Air Medal | ||
| Aerial Achievement Medal | ||
| Joint Service Commendation Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal |
| Army and Air Force Commendation Medal | Army and Air Force Commendation Medal | Army and Air Force Commendation Medal |
| Joint Service Achievement Medal | Joint Service Achievement Medal | Joint Service Achievement Medal |
| Army and Air Force Achievement Medal | Army and Air Force Achievement Medal | Army and Air Force Achievement Medal |
| Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal | Combat Readiness Medal | |
| Air Force Good Conduct Medal and Space Force Good Conduct Medal | ||
| Air and Space Longevity Service Award | ||
| Presidential Unit Citation | Presidential Unit Citation | |
| Overseas Service Ribbon (long and short tours) | ||
| Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Joint Meritorious Unit Award |
| Valorous Unit Award | Gallant Unit Citation | |
| Meritorious Unit Commendation | Meritorious Unit Award | |
| Superior Unit Award | Outstanding Unit Award | |
| Organizational Excellence Award | ||
| Air Force NCO PME Graduate Ribbon | ||
| Air and Space Training Ribbon |
Except for the Air Medal, unique decorations and awards issued by Department of the Army or Department of the Air Force, and those decorations and awards issued by the Department of Defense, the other uniformed services use 5⁄16 inch stars to indicate subsequent personal decorations only; a gold 5⁄16 inch star is equivalent to a bronze oak leaf cluster, while a silver 5⁄16 inch star is equivalent to a silver oak leaf cluster.[12] While the Air Force uses oak leaf clusters for the Air Medal, since the Vietnam War, the Army has used 3⁄16-inch (4.8 mm) bronze Arabic numerals to denote subsequent awards, in which case the ribbon denotes the first award and numerals starting with the numeral "2" denote additional awards.[13]
Other nations
[edit]In other nations, oak leaf clusters are also used as symbols for various awards and decorations. In Germany, the German oak is the national tree of Germany, thus oak leaves are a prominent symbol on most German military orders. During World War II, the Knight's Cross of the German Iron Cross could be awarded with the additional distinction of oak leaves (mit Eichenlaub). Of the 7,313 awards of the Knight's Cross, only 882 received oak leaves. After World War II, Iron Crosses awarded previously could be worn by the recipient provided the swastika was replaced by oak leaves. The Bundeswehr awards the Cross of Honour for Bravery for extraordinary bravery. The Cross of Honour for Bravery differs from the Badge of Honour by an adornment in the shape of stylized double oak leaves.[14] Furthermore, it was featured on the Pfennig in Germany and since the introduction of the euro in 2001 it is used on the obverse side of the German euro coinage. In earlier times, the Pour le Mérite, the highest military order in the Kingdom of Prussia, could also be awarded with oak leaves. A civil version of the order, for accomplishments in the arts and sciences, still exists in the Federal Republic of Germany.
In Commonwealth countries, a bronze oak leaf signifies a Mention in Despatches, and is worn as a gallantry award in its own right, rather than to signify multiple instances of campaign service. The Commonwealth equivalent of a United States oak leaf cluster is a medal bar worn with a campaign medal.
Oak leaves are a common motif on military symbols in Turkey because of the famed longevity of the oak tree. They appear on the emblem of Turkish Land Forces,[15] the emblem of Gendarmerie General Command[16] and together with acorns on the non-commissioned officer insignia of Turkish Naval Forces.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ DoD Awards Manual, 1348.33 V3
- ^ DoD Awards Manual 1348.33, V3, P. 16 (2) bottom, 23 November 2010
- ^ a b c "Army Regulation 670-1" (PDF). 26 January 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia" (PDF). 26 January 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ "DoDM 1348.33-V3, November 23, 2010" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- ^ "Army Regulation 600-8-22]" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 July 2011.
- ^ "Department of the Air Force Instruction 36-2803" (PDF). 3 May 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ Coast Guard Commandant Instruction 1650.25D
- ^ "Commissioned Corps Instruction CC26.3.3 Wear of Ribbons and Medals" (PDF). [Commissioned Corps Management Information System website]. United States Public Health Service. 28 August 2008. p. 12. Archived from the original (pdf) on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
- ^ "NOAA Corps Directives, Chapter 12 PART 6 – Insignia, Medals, and Ribbon Bars" (PDF). [Commissioned Corps Personnel Center]. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 December 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
- ^ DoD Awards Manual 1348.33, V3, P. 50 "AM" (P. 51 Table 1, Key 1., 2., 11., 13.), 23 November 2010
- ^ DoD Awards Manual, V3, P. 55&56 (1), (2), 23 November 2010
- ^ "Stiftungserlass des BMVg vom 13. August 2008" (PDF) (in German). Bundeswehr.de. Retrieved 26 October 2011.[dead link]
- ^ "Kara Kuvvetleri Amblemi" (in Turkish). Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- ^ "Kurumsal Kimlik" (in Turkish). Retrieved 7 December 2023.
Oak leaf cluster
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
The oak leaf cluster is a military ribbon device used by the United States Armed Forces to denote second and subsequent awards of certain decorations, unit awards, and service medals.[1] It consists of a bronze or silver twig bearing four oak leaves and three acorns on the stem. A single bronze oak leaf cluster signifies each additional award beyond the first, while a silver oak leaf cluster substitutes for five bronze ones.[1]
Lower-tier achievement medals, including the Army Achievement Medal and Joint Service Achievement Medal, employ bronze oak leaf clusters (Army, Air Force, Space Force; gold stars for Navy, Marine Corps) to indicate repeat awards for commendable performance below the meritorious level.[24]
Notable exceptions include the Medal of Honor, for which no oak leaf clusters are authorized due to its status as a singular, unrepeatable award for the nation's highest military honor.[24] Certain achievement-level awards may substitute numerals for clusters when exceeding four devices, and posthumous presentations to next of kin omit clusters regardless of prior awards. The comprehensive list and wear specifications for all personal decorations are outlined in DoD Manual 1348.33-M, Volume 4.[24]
History and Symbolism
Origins
The use of oak leaves in U.S. military insignia dates back to the 19th century, initially as symbols of rank rather than award devices. In the General Regulations for the Army adopted in 1835, embroidered oak leaves were introduced on shoulder straps to designate lieutenant colonels and majors, with the leaf representing strength and endurance in heraldic tradition.[2] This marked the first official incorporation of oak leaves into American military uniform elements, evolving from earlier epaulet designs and setting a precedent for their symbolic application in later decorations. The oak leaf cluster as a device for denoting subsequent awards drew influence from British military practices during World War I. In the British Army, a bronze oak leaf emblem was authorized in 1919 to recognize personnel mentioned in despatches, worn on the ribbon of the Victory Medal to signify commendation for gallantry or service without issuing a separate medal.[3] This tradition, rooted in the oak's ancient symbolism of bravery and resilience from Roman and Germanic origins, was adapted by the U.S. military to represent repeated acts of valor or meritorious service on a single decoration.[4] Oak leaf clusters were established in the U.S. Armed Forces in 1921 through Army Regulation 600-40, paragraph 48, which authorized their use for second and subsequent awards of certain decorations and service medals.[5] This policy was clarified in a 1926 letter from General Jervey of the Office of the Chief of Staff, emphasizing bronze clusters for each succeeding entitlement, worn above the ribbon clasp for campaign-related citations.[5] Their use expanded during World War II, seeing widespread application with the Air Medal, established in 1942, where bronze oak leaf clusters denoted subsequent bestowals to aviators for meritorious achievement in flight.[5] This innovation allowed for efficient recognition without issuing multiple full medals, and it extended to other decorations like the Distinguished Service Cross by mid-war. Formalization occurred through Army Regulation 600-45, issued on September 22, 1943, which defined the oak leaf cluster as a "bronze twig of four oak leaves with three acorns" for duplicate awards of personal decorations.[6] Subsequent amendments expanded its application across various medals. Post-World War II, following the creation of the Department of Defense in 1947, the device was standardized across all services to ensure uniform wear and criteria.[7]Symbolism
The oak leaf motif in military heraldry carries deep symbolic weight, representing strength, endurance, longevity, and resilience. These attributes derive from the oak tree's robust nature, capable of withstanding harsh conditions and living for centuries, a symbolism evident in ancient Roman and medieval European traditions. In ancient Rome, the Corona Civica, the second-highest military honor after the Corona Laurea, was a wreath of oak leaves awarded to citizens who saved a fellow Roman's life in battle, underscoring the oak's association with life-sustaining vitality and civic valor; the leaves were chosen because, as noted by Aulus Gellius, the oak provided the earliest food to support human life.[8] This tradition persisted into medieval heraldry, where oak leaves denoted faith, antiquity, and unyielding tenacity, often depicted in green ("proper" color) on coats of arms to evoke stability and perseverance.[9] The British military adopted the bronze oak leaf emblem in 1919 for the "Mention in Despatches" (MiD), a recognition of gallantry or distinguished service, worn on campaign medal ribbons to signify inclusion in an official commander's report.[10] This usage drew directly from heraldic precedents, with the oak leaf symbolizing bravery and endurance in combat, influencing subsequent Allied designs during and after World War I. The emblem's introduction via royal warrant under King George V retroactively honored actions from 1914, emphasizing the oak's role as a marker of repeated or notable heroism without requiring a separate medal.[11] In the United States, the oak leaf cluster inherits this British-inspired tradition while tying into national symbolism, as the oak serves as America's national tree since 2004, emblematic of sturdy resilience and exceptional valor in military contexts.[12] Adopted to denote subsequent awards of the same decoration, the device underscores repeated acts of heroism, allowing service members to display cumulative merit on existing medals rather than issuing new ones, thereby evoking the oak's enduring strength. The bronze variant signifies each individual additional award, perceived as growth in valor through sustained effort, while the silver cluster substitutes for five bronzes, highlighting exceptional cumulative service and longevity in duty.[13][9]United States Usage
Design and Specifications
The oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device consisting of a miniature twig bearing four oak leaves and three acorns, rendered in bronze to denote each subsequent award or silver substituting for five bronze clusters beginning with the sixth award overall.[1] The stem of the twig points to the wearer's right when attached.[14] Size variations accommodate different applications: the full-size version measures 13/32 inch (1.03 cm) in length for attachment to the suspension ribbons of medals, while the standard version is 5/16 inch (0.79 cm) long for service ribbons, miniature medals, and unit award emblems.[1] These dimensions ensure precise fit and alignment as specified in Army Regulation 670-1, with the bronze variant approximately 1/4 inch wide.[15] The device is constructed from bronze or silver materials, finished to military specifications for durability and heraldic accuracy, often with an oxidized surface to resist wear and corrosion.[14] Manufacturing adheres to standards set by The Institute of Heraldry, with production limited to authorized vendors such as licensed firms approved under Department of Defense quality control protocols.[16] Attachment is achieved via a secure pin-back or clutch mechanism that mounts the cluster directly onto the ribbon or suspension, positioned centered with no spacing between multiple devices.[14] Up to four clusters may be worn side-by-side on a single ribbon; exceeding this limit requires a second ribbon placed to the wearer's right of the primary one in the row of ribbons, with joined clusters (in sets of two, three, or four) optionally available for purchase and wear on service ribbons and unit emblems.[1]Criteria for Award and Wear
The oak leaf cluster is awarded to denote each subsequent award of an identical U.S. military decoration, signifying additional acts of valor, meritorious service, or qualifying periods that meet the criteria of the base award.[17] For example, a second Bronze Star Medal receives one bronze oak leaf cluster, but clusters are not authorized for all awards, such as certain campaign or service medals where stars or other devices are used instead.[18] Eligibility requires the service member to have earned the base decoration through verified performance, and posthumous awards may include oak leaf clusters if the recipient earned multiple qualifying acts or periods prior to death, per service regulations.[17] Service branches apply oak leaf clusters with some variations aligned to Department of Defense standards. In the Army and Air Force, clusters are used for most personal decorations, including the Purple Heart for separate wounding incidents and achievement medals like the Army Commendation Medal, as outlined in AR 600-8-22 and DAFMAN 36-2806.[18][19] The Navy and Marine Corps primarily use 5/16-inch gold stars for subsequent personal decorations like the Navy Cross or Purple Heart, and 3/16-inch bronze stars for campaign medals, per SECNAV M-1650.1, though oak leaf clusters are authorized for joint or DoD-level awards such as the Legion of Merit.[20] The Coast Guard follows DoD protocols, employing oak leaf clusters on joint unit or personal awards received from other services, with wear governed by COMDTINST M1650.25D. Wear regulations specify that bronze oak leaf clusters are centered on the suspension ribbon above the medal or on the service ribbon, with a maximum of four per row; additional clusters overflow to a secondary ribbon positioned immediately to the right of the primary one in the row of ribbons.[18] A silver oak leaf cluster substitutes for five bronze ones, and clusters are not worn on certain awards like degrees of the Legion of Merit or foreign personnel variants.[19] Sizes include 13/32-inch for suspension ribbons and 5/16-inch for service ribbons across services, with placement following uniform manuals such as AR 670-1 for the Army.[17] Authorization occurs through the chain of command or awards boards, with approvals mirroring the base decoration's process, such as DA Form 638 for Army personal awards or special orders for Air Force valor decorations.[18][19] Retroactive awards, including additional clusters, may be granted for historical omissions via DD Form 149, submitted to the relevant service's records correction board with supporting evidence like medical documentation for Purple Hearts.[21]Examples of Application
In the case of personal decorations, a soldier receiving three awards of the Army Commendation Medal would wear two bronze oak leaf clusters on the ribbon, with one cluster denoting the second award and the second cluster the third. The progression of multiple awards begins with the first award displayed without any device. Each additional award up to the fifth is indicated by a bronze oak leaf cluster, for a total of up to four bronze clusters on the ribbon. The sixth award is represented by a single silver oak leaf cluster, which substitutes for five bronze ones. When the number of required clusters exceeds four—such as for the eleventh award, requiring two silver clusters—a second ribbon is worn immediately to the right of the first to accommodate the devices and prevent overcrowding. During World War II, U.S. Army Air Forces pilots often earned multiple Air Medals for meritorious achievement in aerial flight, with oak leaf clusters denoting subsequent awards; for instance, ten additional awards beyond the first could be shown with two silver oak leaf clusters in place of ten bronze ones. During the Vietnam War in September 1968, due to the exceptionally high volume of Air Medal awards—sometimes exceeding 50 per individual—the U.S. Army transitioned from oak leaf clusters to Arabic numerals on the ribbon for denoting additional awards.[22][5] Certain edge cases illustrate limitations in oak leaf cluster application. The 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor, established to posthumously honor the 442 public safety officers killed in the September 11, 2001, attacks, is a singular recognition with no provision for multiple awards or attendant oak leaf clusters. Additionally, during routine uniform inspections, service members may receive corrections for improper wear, such as displaying an incorrect number of clusters or misaligning them on the ribbon, to maintain regulatory compliance.[23]Applicable U.S. Decorations
Personal Decorations
The oak leaf cluster serves as a standard device to denote second and subsequent awards of numerous U.S. personal military decorations in the Army, Air Force, and Space Force, primarily those recognizing individual valor, meritorious service, or achievement, with bronze clusters for the first four additional awards and silver clusters substituting for every five bronze ones; the Navy and Marine Corps use gold and silver stars instead.[24] Usage is governed by branch-specific regulations but aligns with Department of Defense policy for joint applicability, ensuring only one physical medal is issued per recipient with clusters (or stars) added to the suspension ribbon and service ribbon. High-level valor awards such as the Distinguished Service Cross (Army), Navy Cross (Navy and Marine Corps), and Air Force Cross (Air Force and Space Force) utilize oak leaf clusters (Army, Air Force, Space Force)—or equivalent gold stars (Navy, Marine Corps)—for second and subsequent awards, signifying extraordinary heroism in combat.[25][26]| Decoration | Branch(es) | Device for Additional Awards | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze Star Medal | All services | Bronze oak leaf clusters (Army, Air Force); gold stars (Navy) | Recognizes heroic or meritorious achievement; "V" device may accompany for valor but does not affect cluster use.[25] |
| Meritorious Service Medal | All services | Bronze oak leaf clusters (Army, Air Force); gold stars (Navy) | Awarded for outstanding non-combat meritorious service; clusters denote repeats without a full second medal.[25][27] |
| Air Force Commendation Medal | Air Force, Space Force | Bronze oak leaf clusters | For sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service; standard for additional awards. |