DAFMAN 36-2806: MILITARY AWARDS: CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES

DAFMAN 36-2806 — index record

Number	DAFMAN 36-2806
Title	MILITARY AWARDS: CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES
Published	October 27, 2022
Certified current	August 13, 2025
Office of primary responsibility	AF/A1
Issued by	Headquarters, Department of the Air Force
Status on the index	Current
Last index action	UpdateContact, September 18, 2025
Source index	Air Force e-Publishing
Index last read	October 20, 2026

Copied from Air Force e-Publishing (index). The publication itself is the authority; this page does not summarize or interpret it. Verify the current edition on the index before acting.

From the publication itself

Text below is lifted mechanically from the official PDF (111 pages, read October 20, 2026) with no editing or interpretation. Quote the document, not this page.

Purpose, in the publication’s words

This manual implements Department of the Air Force Policy Directive (DAFPD) 36-28, Awards Program, and is consistent with Department of the Air Force Instruction (DAFI) 36-2803, Military Decorations and Awards Program. This manual governs the criteria and processing procedures for Department of the Air Force (DAF) awards and applies to uniformed members of the United States Space Force, the Regular Air Force, the Air Force Reserve, and the Air National Guard. In collaboration with the Chief of Air Force Reserve (AF/RE), the Director of the Air National Guard (NGB/CF), and the Space Force Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Personnel (SF/S1), the Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel, and Services (AF/A1) develops personnel policy for the awards program. Ensure all records generated as a result of processes prescribed in this publication adhere to Air Force Instruction 33-322, Records Management and Information Governance Program, and are disposed in accordance with the Air Force Records Disposition

Summary of changes, as printed

This interim change revises DAFMAN 36-2806 by changing the name of the Twelve Outstanding Airmen of the Year Award Program throughout the manual to the Outstanding Airmen of the Year Award Program; updates the role and submission requirements for the 811th Force Support Squadron (paragraphs 1.2.19 and A3.5.2.7), the awards processed in the myDecs application (paragraphs 2.3 and A6.1.1), and guidance for PCS and PCA recommendations (paragraph 2.15.1); adds a cross reference to individual entitlement to unit awards (paragraph 3.7.1); updates submission procedures (paragraph 5.2) and policy on receipt of U.S. non-military awards (paragraphs 6.3.1, 6.3.1.1, 6.3.1.2, 6.3.2, 6.3.2.1, 6.3.2.2, 6.3.3, 6.3.3.1, and 6.3.3.2); adds previously omitted authority for the Remote “R” device (paragraphs A2.14.3.2 and A2.15.2.2); updates guidance for retirement decorations (paragraph A5.1.1.4); deletes tables and adds a cross reference to the information previously contained in the deleted tables (paragraphs A13.11.1 and A13.13.1.5., Tables A13.10 and A13.11); updates the Air and Space Campaign Medal Designated Operations (Table A14.3), the Developmental Special Duty Ribbon, the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, and the title of the Air Force Reporting Identifier 99G (paragraphs A2.14.1.6 and A2.15.1.9); and changes the name of Thule Air Base to Pituffik Space Base (paragraphs A14.12.3.2 and A16.3.). A margin bar (|) indicates newly revised material.

Chapter 1—INTRODUCTIONp. 7
Chapter 2—PERSONAL MILITARY DECORATIONSp. 13
Section 2A—General Informationp. 13
Section 2B—Time Limitationp. 15
Section 2C—Criteria and Eligibilityp. 17
Chapter 3—UNIT AWARDSp. 27
Chapter 4—CAMPAIGN, EXPEDITIONARY, AND SERVICE AWARDSp. 30
Chapter 5—AWARDS FOR VETERANSp. 32
Chapter 6—RECEIPT OF NON-DAF AWARDSp. 35
Chapter 7—SPECIAL TROPHIES AND AWARDSp. 38
Chapter 8—LAPEL BUTTONS AND OTHER AWARDSp. 41
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 45
Attachment 2—CRITERIA--PERSONAL MILITARY DECORATIONSp. 61
Attachment 5—PREPARING CITATIONSp. 99
Attachment 6—MYDECS APPLICATIONp. 107
Attachment 9—UNIT AWARD CRITERIAp. 120
Attachment 11—AUTHORIZED FOREIGN SERVICE AND UNIT AWARDSp. 128
Attachment 12—PREPARING AND PROCESSING AWARDS FOR VALORp. 133
Attachment 16—DEVICESp. 227

All 87 contents entries

Chapter 1—INTRODUCTIONp. 7
1.1. Overviewp. 7
1.2. Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 7
Chapter 2—PERSONAL MILITARY DECORATIONSp. 13
Section 2A—General Informationp. 13
2.1. Backgroundp. 13
2.2. Order of Precedencep. 13
2.3. MyDecs Applicationp. 13
2.4. Administrative Ordersp. 13
2.5. Procuring Certificates, Medals, and Streamersp. 13
2.6. Replacing Certificatesp. 13
2.7. Replacing Medalsp. 14
2.8. Engraving Medalsp. 14
2.9. Public Display of Awardsp. 14
Section 2B—Time Limitationp. 15
2.10. Verifying Prior Awardsp. 15
2.11. Records Managementp. 15
2.12. Time Limitationp. 15
2.13. Requesting Statutory Time Waiverp. 15
2.14. Sources of Informationp. 16
Section 2C—Criteria and Eligibilityp. 17
2.15. General Informationp. 17
2.16. Criteriap. 17
2.17. Eligibilityp. 17
2.18. Who Can Recommendp. 19
2.19. Submitting a Recommendationp. 19
2.20. Duplicate Recognitionp. 20
2.21. Honorable Service Requirementp. 20
2.22. Basis (Condition) for Personal Military Decorationsp. 20
2.23. Approval and Disapproval Authorityp. 23
2.24. Increase in Retirement Pay Based on Extraordinary Heroismp. 24
2.25. Reconsiderations and Upgradesp. 24
2.26. Presentationp. 24
2.27. Revocationp. 26
2.28. Refused Decorationsp. 26
2.29. Combat Conditionsp. 26
Chapter 3—UNIT AWARDSp. 27
3.1. General Informationp. 27
3.2. Limitationsp. 27
3.3. Approval Authorityp. 27
3.4. Reconsiderationsp. 28
3.5. Unit Awards Arising from Combat Operationsp. 28
3.6. Sharing Approved Unit Awardsp. 28
3.7. Individual Entitlement to Unit Awardsp. 28
Chapter 4—CAMPAIGN, EXPEDITIONARY, AND SERVICE AWARDSp. 30
4.1. Backgroundp. 30
4.2. General Informationp. 30
4.3. Submitting a Requestp. 31
4.4. Requests for Veterans and Deceased Membersp. 31
4.5. Exception to policyp. 31
Chapter 5—AWARDS FOR VETERANSp. 32
5.1. Backgroundp. 32
5.2. Submitting Recommendationsp. 32
5.3. Verification of Entitlementsp. 32
5.4. Correction of Military Recordsp. 33
5.5. Veteransp. 33
5.6. Correction of Decorationsp. 34
Chapter 6—RECEIPT OF NON-DAF AWARDSp. 35
6.1. General Informationp. 35
6.2. Other Military Departments’ Awardsp. 35
6.3. U.S. Non-Military Awardsp. 35
6.4. Foreign and International Awardsp. 36
Chapter 7—SPECIAL TROPHIES AND AWARDSp. 38
7.1. Purposep. 38
7.2. Backgroundp. 38
7.3. General Informationp. 38
7.4. Special Trophies and Awards Managed by AFPCp. 38
7.5. Establishing Special Trophies and Awardsp. 39
7.6. Recognition by DoD and other Federal Agenciesp. 40
Chapter 8—LAPEL BUTTONS AND OTHER AWARDSp. 41
8.1. Air Force Lapel Buttonp. 41
8.2. Other Lapel Buttonsp. 41
8.3. Cold War Recognition Certificatep. 41
8.4. Military Working Dog Handler Certificate of Commendationp. 41
8.5. Atomic Veterans Service Certificatep. 42
8.6. Certificate of Commendationp. 42
8.7. Certificate of Achievementp. 42
8.8. Commemorative Medalsp. 42
8.9. One-Time Recognition Awardsp. 42
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 45
Attachment 2—CRITERIA--PERSONAL MILITARY DECORATIONSp. 61
Attachment 5—PREPARING CITATIONSp. 99
Attachment 6—MYDECS APPLICATIONp. 107
Attachment 9—UNIT AWARD CRITERIAp. 120
Attachment 11—AUTHORIZED FOREIGN SERVICE AND UNIT AWARDSp. 128
Attachment 12—PREPARING AND PROCESSING AWARDS FOR VALORp. 133
Attachment 16—DEVICESp. 227

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DAFMAN 36-2806

DAFMAN 36-2806 — index record

From the publication itself

Purpose, in the publication’s words

Summary of changes, as printed

Contents

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