Defense Superior Service Medal
Awarded by United States Department of Defense
Type	Medal
Awarded for	"Superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility"
Status	Currently awarded
Precedence
Next (higher)	Silver Star
Next (lower)	Legion of Merit
Ribbon (above), obverse (left), reverse (right)

The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."

The decoration is most often presented to senior officers in the flag and general officer grades. The medal is presented in the name of the Secretary of Defense and was established by President Gerald R. Ford on February 6, 1976 in Executive Order 11904.

The first recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal was Army Brigadier General John G. Jones, for service as the Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense from February 1972 to July 1975.

[edit] External links

• Defense Superior Service Medal - Criteria, Background, and Images

v • d • e Inter-service decorations of the United States military Federal military decorations Medal of Honor · Silver Star · Legion of Merit · Distinguished Flying Cross · Bronze Star Medal · Purple Heart · Meritorious Service Medal · Air Medal DoD decorations Defense Distinguished Service · Defense Superior Service · Defense Meritorious Service · Joint Service Commendation · Joint Service Achievement · Joint Meritorious Unit Federal service medals National Defense Service Medal · Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal · Humanitarian Service Medal · Outstanding Volunteer Service · Armed Forces Service Medal · Armed Forces Reserve · POW · Antarctica Service · Korean Service · Korea Defense Service · Vietnam Service · Southwest Asia Service · Kosovo Campaign · Afghanistan Campaign Medal · Iraq Campaign Medal · GWOT Expeditionary Medal · GWOT Service Medal