Wear of "V" DEVICE on the Air Medal (AM)
Awarded for Heroism 

1. ON 21 OCT 2004, THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE AUTHORIZED THE USE OF THE "V" DEVICE, TO REPRESENT VALOR, ON THE AIR MEDAL (AM) AWARDED FOR HEROISM. THE "V" DEVICE IS INTENDED TO CLEARLY DISTINGUISH AND DENOTE A AIR MEDAL AWARDED FOR HEROISM. ANY AIR FORCE MEMBER (ACTIVE DUTY, GUARD, RESERVE), WHO WAS AWARDED THE AM FOR HEROISM ON OR AFTER 21 OCT 2004 IS AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE "V" DEVICE ON THE AM RIBBON AND MEDAL. 

2. AIR MEDAL CITATIONS AND CERTIFICATES APPROVED FOR ACTS OF HEROISM THAT OCCUR ON OR AFTER 21 OCT 04 WILL REFLECT WITH VALOR. DECORATION ORDERS FOR ACTS OF HEROISM WILL INCLUDE THE PHRASE "V" DEVICE AUTHORIZED. REFER TO EXAMPLE OF VALOR AT ATTACHMENT 5, AFI 36-2803. 

3. AIR MEDAL AWARD ELEMENTS PREVIOUSLY ISSUED AND AWARDED FOR ACTS OF HEROISM OCCURRING PRIOR TO 21 OCT 04 WILL NOT BE REACCOMPLISHED TO ADD THIS STATEMENT. FURTHERMORE, MILITARY RECORDS, INCLUDING PROMOTION SELECTION RECORDS, WILL NOT BE REACCOMPLISHED TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT AND HEROISM ON PAST AWARDS OF THE AM. 

4. INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY: PERSONNEL (ACTIVE DUTY, GUARD, RESERVE,) WHO HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE AM FOR HEROISM (AS INDICATED ON THE AM CITATION, CERTIFICATE, OR ORDER) ARE IMMEDIATELY AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE "V" DEVICE. MILITARY PERSONNEL DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MILPDS REFLECTS THE VALOR TO WEAR IT, AS LONG AS THEY MEET THE CRITERIA ABOVE. ACTIVE DUTY, GUARD, AND RESERVE PERSONNEL WHO ARE AUTHORIZED THE "V" DEVICE MAY PROCURE IT THROUGH AAFES OR CONTACT THEIR SERVICING MPF, AWARDS AND DECORATIONS SECTION FOR ISSUE. 

5. AFPC/MPF RESPONSIBILITY: THE UPDATE CODE FOR THE AM WITH VALOR IS PROJECTED TO BE "AH". ONCE AVAILABLE, THE AFPC FIELD ACTIVITIES OFFICE WILL PERFORM A BATCH UPDATE TO REFLECT VALOR IN THE MILPDS RECORDS OF PERSONNEL ON ACTIVE DUTY WHO HAVE BEEN AWARDED A AM FOR HEROISM. THE MPF AWARDS AND DECORATIONS SECTION WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR UPDATING THE AM WITH VALOR IN THE MILPDS FOR ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL WHO ARE NOT UPDATED BY THE AFPC BATCH UPDATE OR ARE APPROVED A AM FOR HEROISM AFTER THE BATCH UPDATE. 

6. INDIVIDUALS WITH QUESTIONS SHOULD ADDRESS THEM TO THEIR LOCAL MPFS.