The Medal of Honor is awarded by the President in the name of Congress to a person who, while a member of the Army, distinguishes himself or herself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The deed performed must have been one of personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his comrades and must have involved risk of life. Incontestable proof of the performance of the service will be exacted and each recommendation for the award of this decoration will be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit.

The design of the Army Medal of Honor has undergone several changes since 1862. The one on which the present Medal is based was patented by General G. L. Gillespie on 22 November 1904. The Medal is designed in the form of a five-pointed star, made of silver and heavily electroplated in gold. In the center of the star appears the head of Minerva - the Roman goddess whose name is associated with wisdom and righteousness in war - surrounded by the words "United States of America." An open laurel wreath, enameled in green, encircles the star, and the oak leaves at the bases of the prongs of the star are likewise enameled. The Medal is suspended by a blue silk ribbon (the only U.S. decoration worn suspended from the neck), spangled with 13 white stars (representing the 13 original states), and attached to an eagle supported by a horizontal bar upon which is engraved the word "Valor." The reverse of the Medal is plain so that the name of the recipient may be engraved thereon; the reverse of the bar is stamped "The Congress to."

The Medal of Honor is usually presented to living awardees by the President of the United States at the White House. Posthumous presentation to the next of kin normally is made in Washington, DC, by the President or his personal representative. The Medal of Honor is awarded "in the name of the Congress of the United States," and for this reason, it is sometimes called the Congressional Medal of Honor. Many Medal of Honor recipients are still alive, including soldiers from the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and World War II.

For more information on the Medal of Honor, including full-text citations, visit the US Army Center of Military History.