Meritorious Service Medal. United States.

The Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) is a military award presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves with outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States.
Introduced in 1969, the MSM was long awarded as a decoration for peacetime achievement.
Since 2004, it has also been bestowed in lieu of the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement in a designated combat theater.
Normally, the acts or services rendered must be comparable to that required for the Legion of Merit but in a duty of lesser, though considerable, responsibility.
This decoration was established by Executive Order 11448 on 16 Jan. 1969. This award was established as the counterpart of the Bronze Star Medal for the recognition of meritorious non-combatant service.
Criteria: The Meritorious Service Medal may be awarded to any member of the armed forces of the United States who distinguishes themselves by either outstanding achievement or meritorious service to the United States.
Medal Description: The medal was designed by Jay Morris and sculptured by Lewis J. King, Jr., both of the Army's Institute of Heraldry.
It is in bronze, on the obverse as eagle wings upraised, standing upon two upward curving branches of laurel tied with a ribbon between the talons of the eagle, above and behind the eagle the upper part of a five-pointed star (with two smaller stars outlined within) on an incised plaque with six points starting at the top of each wing of the eagle.
The reverse is plain with a circular inscription in raised letters, United States of America and Meritorious Service separated by dots.
Ribbon: The ribbon is purplish red (ruby) with a quarter inch white stripe one-eighth inch from each edge.
Authorised Devices: Oak Leaf Cluster and Remote “R” Device.