5/16 inch star

Not to be confused with the Silver Star medal or service stars.

​5⁄16 Inch Star
Gold and Silver ​5⁄16 Inch Stars
Awarded by United States
Type	Ribbon device
Awarded for	to denote a subsequent decoration.
Status	Currently in use

A ​⁵⁄₁₆ Inch Star is a miniature gold or silver ​⁵⁄₁₆ inch star that is authorized by the United States Armed Forces as a ribbon device for a specific set of decorations of the Department of the Navy, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to denote subsequent decorations. A gold star represents one additional award, while a silver star is worn in lieu of five gold stars.

The silver star devices (​³⁄₁₆ and ​⁵⁄₁₆ inch silver stars) occasionally get mistaken for the larger Silver Star medal.

​⁵⁄₁₆ Inch Star usage

​⁵⁄₁₆ Inch Stars are worn on a medal suspension and service ribbon with one point of the star pointing up. Up to five stars can be worn on a ribbon. There are no higher degrees of ​⁵⁄₁₆ inch stars authorized after five silver ​⁵⁄₁₆ inch stars. On miniature medals, a special ​¹⁄₈ inch star is worn on the medal's suspension ribbon in lieu of a ​⁵⁄₁₆ inch star. If the number of authorized ​⁵⁄₁₆ inch stars exceeds five, a second service ribbon is worn after the first service ribbon. The second service ribbon counts as one additional personal award, after which more stars may be added to the second ribbon. If future awards reduce the number of stars worn on the first ribbon due to gold ​⁵⁄₁₆ inch stars being replaced by a silver ​⁵⁄₁₆ inch star, the second service ribbon is removed and the appropriate number of star devices are placed on the first service ribbon.

Examples

The following are examples of the first through twenty-sixth awards of a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with the gold and silver ​⁵⁄₁₆ inch stars:

First award
Second award
Third award
Fourth award
Fifth award
Sixth award
Seventh award
Eighth award
Ninth award
Tenth award
Eleventh award
Twelfth award
Thirteenth award
Fourteenth award
Fifteenth award
Sixteenth award
Seventeenth award
Eighteenth award
Nineteenth award
Twentieth award
Twenty-first award
Twenty-second award
Twenty-third award
Twenty-fourth award
Twenty-fifth award
Twenty-sixth award

Authorized decorations

​⁵⁄₁₆ Inch Stars are authorized for wear on the following United States Navy, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration decorations when a subsequent decoration is awarded to members of the seven uniformed services: the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The US Army and US Air Force uses an oak leaf cluster to indicate a subsequent decoration. A bronze oak leaf cluster is equivalent to a gold ​⁵⁄₁₆ inch star and a silver oak leaf cluster is equivalent to a silver ​⁵⁄₁₆ inch star.

Navy and Marine Corps personnel	Coast Guard personnel	Public Health Service personnel	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel	Army and Air Force personnel
Navy Cross	Coast Guard Cross			Distinguished Service Cross Air Force Cross
Navy or Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal	Navy or Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal	Navy, Coast Guard, or PHS Distinguished Service Medal	Navy, Coast Guard, or PHS Distinguished Service Medal; Commerce Gold Medal	Navy or Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star Medal	Silver Star	Silver Star Medal	Silver Star Medal
			Commerce Silver Medal
Legion of Merit	Legion of Merit	Legion of Merit	Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross	Distinguished Flying Cross	Distinguished Flying Cross	Distinguished Flying Cross
Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Coast Guard Medal	Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Coast Guard Medal	Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Coast Guard Medal	Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Coast Guard Medal	Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Coast Guard Medal
Bronze Star Medal	Bronze Star Medal	Bronze Star Medal	Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart Medal	Purple Heart Medal	Purple Heart	Purple Heart
			Commerce Bronze Medal
Navy or Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal	Navy or Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal	Navy, Coast Guard, PHS, or NOAA Corps Meritorious Service Medal	Navy, Coast Guard, PHS, or NOAA Corps Meritorious Service Medal	Navy or Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal
		Surgeon General's Exemplary Service Medal or NOAA Administrator's Award	NOAA Administrator's Award or Surgeon General's Exemplary Service Medal
		Public Health Service Outstanding Service Medal	Public Health Service Outstanding Service Medal
Navy and Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Commendation Medal	Navy and Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Commendation Medal	Navy and Marine Corps, Coast Guard, PHS, and NOAA Commendation Medal	Navy and Marine Corps, Coast Guard, PHS, and NOAA Commendation Medal	Navy and Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Achievement Medal	Navy and Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Achievement Medal	Navy and Marine Corps, Coast Guard, PHS, and NOAA Achievement Medal	Navy and Marine Corps, Coast Guard, PHS, and NOAA Achievement Medal	Navy and Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Achievement Medal
Combat Action Ribbon	Combat Action Ribbon	Combat Action Ribbon	Combat Action Ribbon
	Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon	Public Health Service Citation, Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon, and NOAA Director's Ribbon	NOAA Director's Ribbon, Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon, and Public Health Service Citation

See also

• Awards and decorations of the United States military
• United States military award devices
• Oak leaf cluster
• Service star
• Campaign star
• Battle star

External links

• Secretary of the Navy Instruction (SECNAVINST) 1650.1H, dated 22 August 2006, Subject: Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, paragraph 123.
• Army Regulation 600-8-22
• Air Force Instruction 36-2803