Army and Air Force Presidential Unit Citation — Military Decorations

Army and Air Force Presidential Unit Citation

Army and Air Force Presidential Unit Citation

Army and Air Force Presidential Unit Citation Medal and Ribbon Design Images

What is the Army and Air Force Presidential Unit Citation Decoration?

In Dec. 2, 1943 the Distinguished Unit Citation and later became the Presidential Unit Citation. As with other Army unit citations, it is is in a larger frame than other ribbons, and is worn above the right pocket. The ribbon itself is blue and the frame is gold. It is a simple, yet elegant design.

The Air Force?s is the same color and design as the Army?s but slightly smaller, so that it can be worn in alignment with other Air Force ribbons on the left pocket following personal awards.

The United States military sorts decorations into categories called Classes and Types. The Army and Air Force Presidential Unit Citation medal is classified as a Unit Award of the type Presidential Unit Citation.

How Do You Earn the Army and Air Force Presidential Unit Citation?

The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941, Pearl Harbor. The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions so as to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same campaign.

Displaying the Army and Air Force Presidential Unit Citation

The Order of Precedence of the Army and Air Force Presidential Unit Citation is 40, and this precedence is used when placing the associated service ribbon on your uniform ribbon rack. You can see a full list of decorations in the order of precedence on the Decorations homepage.

All members of the unit may wear the decoration, whether or not they personally participated in the acts for which the unit was cited. Only those assigned to the unit at the time of the action cited may wear the decoration as a permanent award.

The Air Force PUC was adopted from the Army Distinguished Unit Citation after the Air Force became a separate military branch in 1947. The Air Force redesignated the Distinguished Unit Citation as the Presidential Unit Citation. As with the Army, all members of a receiving unit may wear the decoration while assigned to it, but only those assigned to the unit at the time of the action cited may wear the decoration as a permanent award or if any member of a receiving unit had it their last duty station prior to being either discharged or retired they may continue to wear the decoration as prescribed.

The Citation is carried on the receiving unit's colors in the form of a blue streamer, 4 ft long and 2.75 in wide. For the Army, only on rare occasions will a unit larger than battalion qualify for award of this decoration.

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