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Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73not60

§7280 Soldier’s Medal: Award; Limitations

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle B— Army › Part II— PERSONNEL › Chapter 737— DECORATIONS AND AWARDS › § 7280

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President may give the Soldier’s Medal, with its ribbon, to anyone serving in any way with the Army who shows heroism that does not involve fighting an enemy. That power also covers giving the medal to a Ready Reserve member even if they were not in a duty status under section 101(d) when the heroic act happened. A person may not receive more than one Soldier’s Medal. For each later act that would have earned another medal, the President may give a bar or other device to wear on the medal as he directs.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §7280

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The President may award a decoration called the “Soldier’s Medal”, of appropriate design with accompanying ribbon, to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army, distinguishes himself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy.
(2)The authority in paragraph (1) includes authority to award the medal to a member of the Ready Reserve who was not in a duty status defined in section 101(d) of this title when the member distinguished himself by heroism.
(b)Not more than one Soldier’s Medal may be awarded to a person. However, for each succeeding act that would otherwise justify the award of such a medal, the President may award a suitable bar or other device to be worn as he directs.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3750(a)10:1428 (less last sentence).July 2, 1926, ch. 721, § 11, 44 Stat. 789. 3750(b)10:1428 (last sentence). In subsection (a), the words “Under such

Rules and Regulations

as he may prescribe” are omitted, since the President has inherent authority to issue

Regulations

appropriate to exercising his functions. The words “but not in the name of Congress” are omitted as surplusage, since a medal is presented in the name of Congress only if the law so directs. The word “award” is substituted for the word “present” to cover the determination of the recipients as well as the actual presentation of the medal. The words “a decoration called” are substituted for the words “a medal to be known as”. The words “including the National Guard and the Organized Reserves” are omitted as surplusage. The words “or herself” are omitted, since under section 1 of title 1, words importing the masculine gender include the feminine. The words “after July 2, 1926” are omitted as executed. In subsection (b), the words “that would otherwise justify” are substituted for the words “sufficient to”.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 3750 of this title as this section. 1997—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–85 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of

Amendments

and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 7280

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60