- Meritorious Unit Commendation
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For the Australian award, see Meritorious Unit Citation.
Meritorious Unit Commendation 
U.S. Army M.U.C.
U.S. Navy [and Marine Corps] M.U.C.
U.S. Coast Guard M.U.C.
U.S. Air Force M.U.A.Awarded by United States Military Type Ribbon and Streamer Eligibility Military Unit Awarded for "Exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions." Status Currently awarded Statistics First awarded 1944 Last awarded On going Precedence Next (higher) DoD - Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Army - Valorous Unit Award
Navy - Navy Unit Commendation
Air Force - Gallant Unit Citation
Coast Guard - Coast Guard Unit CommendationNext (lower) Army - Superior Unit Award
Navy - None
Air Force - Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Coast Guard - Meritorious Team Commendation
Streamers for the Meritorious Unit CommendationThe Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.
Each military service issues its own version of the Meritorious Unit Commendation. The United States Army version is typically referred to as the "Meritorious Unit Commendation" while the other military branches use the service name as a prefix (for example Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation). The Meritorious Unit Commendation is abbreviated (and often pronounced) as "MUC."
Contents
Army
The Meritorious Unit Commendation emblem worn to represent award of the Meritorious Unit Commendation is 1 7/16 inches wide and 9/16 inch in height. The emblem consists of a 1/16 inch wide Gold frame with laurel leaves which encloses a Scarlet 67111 ribbon. The previously authorized emblem was a Gold color embroidered laurel wreath, 1 5/8 inches in diameter on a 2 inches square of Olive Drab cloth.[1]
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is awarded to units for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding services for at least six continuous months during the period of military operations against an armed enemy occurring on or after 1 January 1944. Service in a combat zone is not required, but must be directly related to the combat effort. CONUS based units are excluded from this award as are other units outside the area of operation. The unit must display such outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks as to set it apart and above other units with similar missions. The degree of achievement required is the same as that which would warrant award of the Legion of Merit to an individual. Only in rare cases will a unit larger than a battalion qualify for award of this commendation. For services performed during World War II, awards will be made only to service units and only for services performed between 1 January 1944 and 15 September 1946. Effective 1 March 1961, the Meritorious Unit Commendation was authorized for units and/or detachments of the Armed Forces of the United States for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding services for at least six continuous months in support of military operations. Such service is interpreted to relate to combat service support type activities and not to the type of activities performed by senior headquarters, combat, or combat support units.[2]The Meritorious Service Unit Plaque was established by War Department Circular No. 345, dated 23 August 1944. The circular provided that military personnel assigned or attached to an organization were entitled to wear the Meritorious Service Unit Insignia on the outside half of the right sleeve of the service coat and shirt, four inches above the end of the sleeve. Additional awards were to be indicated by a gold star to be placed on the plaque. War Department Circular No. 54, 1946, provided that additional awards would be indicated by placing a golden numeral inside the wreath.
In April 1947, the Army approved a new design of the Meritorious Service Unit emblem that replaced the sleeve insignia and on 16 May 1947, announced the Meritorious Unit Commendation, provided for wearing of the Meritorious Unit Commendation emblem, and provided for the display of the Meritorious Unit Commendation streamer, which was scarlet with the name of the applicable theater of operations in white letters.
The emblem is worn by all members of a cited organization and is considered an individual award for persons in connection with the cited acts and may be worn whether or not they continue as members of the organization. Other personnel may wear this award while serving with an organization to indicate the unit has been awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation.
On 11 April 1949, TAG advised D/PA that the stock position was such that it would not be exhausted prior to 1959. By Comment 2, 1 March 1960, DCSPER stated that for planning purposes the new Meritorious Service Unit emblem would be authorized for wear on or after 1 January 1961, with wear of the old one prohibited for wear after 30 June 1962. However, the stock level was still so high that it was not introduced into the supply system until 14 July 1966.
Meritorious Unit Commendation pennantThe Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy on July 17, 1967. It is awarded in the name of the Secretary of the Navy to units of both the U.S. Navy and United States Marines. To justify this award, the unit must have performed service of a character comparable to that which would merit the award of a Bronze Star Medal, or achievement of like caliber in a non-combat situation, to an individual.
The Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation ranks below the Navy Unit Commendation. Additional awards are denoted by bronze and silver service stars.
Air Force
The Air Force version of the Meritorious Unit Commendation is known as the Meritorious Unit Award (MUA). In March 2004, the Secretary of the Air Force approved the MUA to recognize organizations for outstanding achievement or service in direct support of combat operations.
The MUA is awarded to Air Force units for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding achievement or service in direct support of combat operations for at least 90 continuous days during the period of military operations against an armed enemy of the United States on or after September 11, 2001. The unit must have displayed such outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks as to set it apart and above other units with similar missions. The degree of achievement required is the same as that which would warrant award of the Legion of Merit. Superior performance of normal mission will not alone justify award of the MUA. Service in a combat zone is not required, but service must be directly related to the combat effort. Squadrons, groups, and wings may be recommended for this award. The MUA is not awarded to any unit or unit component previously awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA), the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award (AFOEA) or unit awards from other service components for the same act, achievement, or service. The component commander will automatically consider all disapproved MUAs for the AFOUA.[3]
The MUA ribbon is worn immediately before the AFOUA. Subsequent awards are denoted by oak leaf clusters.
Coast Guard
The Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation was established in November 1973 and is awarded in the name of the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. Additional awards of the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation are denoted by gold award stars. The Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation may also be awarded with the Operational Distinguishing Device.
See also
- Awards and decorations of the United States military
- Awards and decorations of the United States Air Force
- Non-U.S. recipients of U.S. gallantry awards
References
Decorations Service medals Unit awards 
Presidential Unit Citation · 
Gallant Unit Citation · 
Air Force Meritorious Unit · 
Outstanding Unit · 
Organizational ExcellenceService ribbons 
Outstanding Airman of the Year · 
Air Force Recognition · 
Overseas Service Short Tour · 
Overseas Service Long Tour · 
Air Force Expeditionary Service · 
Air Force Longevity · 
Military Training Instructor · 
Air Force Recruiter · 
NCO PME Graduate · 
Basic Training Honor Graduate · 
Marksmanship · 
Air Force TrainingDecorations Good conduct Unit awards Service ribbons Meritorious medals Expeditionary medals Good Conduct medals Unit awards _
Presidential Unit Citation · 
Navy Unit Commendation · 
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation · 
Navy E RibbonRibbons Marksmanship __ 
Navy Expert Rifleman Medal · _
Navy Sharpshooter Rifle Ribbon · 
Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon · __ 
Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal · _
Navy Sharpshooter Pistol Shot Medal · 
Navy Pistol Marksmanship RibbonDecorations Lifesaving Medals Unit Awards 
Presidential Unit Citation · 
Coast Guard Unit Commendation · 
Meritorious Unit Commendation · 
Meritorious Team Commendation · 
Coast Guard E RibbonConduct Medals Service Awards _
Combat Action Ribbon · 
· Enlisted Person of the Year Ribbon · 
Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal · 
Special Operations Service Ribbon · 
Sea Service Ribbon · 
Restricted Duty Ribbon · _
Overseas Service Ribbon · 
Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon · 
Recruiting Service RibbonMarksmanship __ _ _ _ 
Distinguished Marksman Ribbon · __ _ _ 
Silver Excellence in Competition Rifle Ribbon · __ _ 
Bronze Excellence in Competition Rifle Ribbon · __ 
Expert Rifle Ribbon · _
Sharpshooter Rifle Ribbon · 
Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon · __ _ _ _ 
Distinguished Pistol Shot Ribbon · __ _ _ 
Silver Pistol Excellence in Competition Ribbon · __ _ 
Bronze Pistol Excellence in Competition Ribbon · __ 
Expert Pistol Ribbon · _
Sharpshooter Pistol Ribbon · 
Pistol Marksmanship RibbonCategories:- Military awards and decorations of the United States
- Awards and decorations of the United States Air Force
- Awards and decorations of the United States Army
- Awards and decorations of the United States Navy
- Awards and decorations of the United States Marine Corps
- Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard
- Awards established in 1944
- Awards established in 2004
- Awards established in 1973
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