Defense Superior Service Medal

Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Type	Superior service medal
Awarded for	Superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility
Presented by	United States Department of Defense
Eligibility	United States Armed Forces service members
Status	Currently awarded
Established	6 February 1976
	; ; Service ribbon
Precedence
Next (higher)	Silver Star Medal
Next (lower)	Legion of Merit

The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility.

It is most often presented to general and flag officers, followed by a lesser number of Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force colonels and Navy and Coast Guard captains. Presented in the name of the United States Secretary of Defense, it was established by President Gerald R. Ford on February 6, 1976 in Executive Order 11904. It is analogous and senior to the Legion of Merit, albeit awarded for service in a joint duty capacity.

^ "Issuances" (PDF). www.esd.whs.mil. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-09-12. Retrieved 2018-09-29.
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference 1348.33,v1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1] "Issuances" (PDF). www.esd.whs.mil. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-09-12. Retrieved 2018-09-29.

[1348.33,v1-2] Cite error: The named reference 1348.33,v1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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