Obsolete military awards of the United States

Obsolete military awards of the United States are United States military awards which have been officially removed from U.S. military award precedence charts and are listed as "Obsolete Military Decorations" in military award publications and instructions.

Typically, the U.S. military will declare a decoration obsolete twenty to thirty years after its last issuance to an active duty member of the military or, in the case of medals designed for members of the reserve forces, a drilling reservist attending annual training. Medals for valor (such as the Medal of Honor and Silver Star) are rarely declared obsolete regardless of the amount of time which has passed since the last issuance. This is since such medals could be reinstated, on very short notice, in the event of an armed conflict in which the United States armed forces would be called to service.

Although United States service medals of the World Wars have also been declared obsolete by the U.S. military, many may still be found in various charts, publications, and instructions. This is since a large number of veterans still display such medals as retirement awards or through functions and ceremonies with various veteran groups such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

The following decorations have been declared obsolete with most such decorations indicating service in military operations prior to 1935.

Army service

Certificate of Merit Medal

Civil War Campaign Medal	Indian Campaign Medal	Spanish Campaign Medal	Spanish War Service Medal

Army of Cuban Occupation Medal	Army of Cuban Pacification Medal	Army of Puerto Rican Occupation Medal

Philippine Campaign Medal	Philippine Congressional Medal	China Campaign Medal	Mexican Service Medal	Mexican Border Service Medal

Army Wound Ribbon

Navy and Marine Corps service

Marine Corps Brevet Medal	Specially Meritorious Service Medal

Civil War Campaign Medal	Spanish Campaign Medal	Philippine Campaign Medal	Mexican Service Medal	West Indies Campaign Medal

China Relief Expedition Medal	China Service Medal	Yangtze Service Medal	Dominican Campaign Medal	Nicaraguan Campaign Medal (1912)

Nicaraguan Campaign Medal (1933)	Haitian Campaign Medal (1917)	Haitian Campaign Medal (1921)	Naval Reserve Medal

Navy Fleet Marine Force Ribbon	Marine Corps Reserve Ribbon	Reserve Special Commendation Ribbon
Distinguished Marksman and Pistol Shot Ribbon	Distinguished Marksman Ribbon	Distinguished Pistol Shot Ribbon

Coast Guard service

Department of Transportation Distinguished Service Medal	Secretary of Transportation Award for Outstanding Achievement	Secretary of Transportation Award for Meritorious Achievement	Secretary of Transportation Award for Superior Achievement	Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award	Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation