§ 578.63 - Lapel buttons.

(a) Lapel buttons are miniature replicas of military decorations; service medals and ribbons; and identification badges. Lapel buttons are worn only on civilian clothing. The buttons will be worn on the left lapel of civilian clothing for male personnel and in a similar location for female personnel.

(b) Lapel buttons for military decorations. Lapel buttons for military decorations are issued in the following two forms:

(1) A rosette, 1/2-inch in diameter, for the Medal of Honor.

(2) A colored enamel replica (1/8-inch by 21/32-inch) for the service ribbon for other decorations.

(c) Lapel buttons for badges. The only badges that have an approved lapel button are certain identification badges as follows:

(1) Presidential Service Badge;

(2) Vice Presidential Service Badge;

(3) Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge;

(4) Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge; and

(5) Army Staff Identification Badge.

(d) World War I Victory Button. A five-pointed star 5/8-inch in diameter on a wreath with the letters “US” in the center. For persons wounded in action, the lapel button is silver; for all others, the lapel button is bronze. Eligibility requirements are the same for the World War I Victory Medal.

(e) Honorable Service Lapel Button (World War II Victory Medal). A button of gold-color metal consists of an eagle perched within a ring composed of a chief and 13 vertical stripes. The button is 7/16-inch high and 5/8-inch wide. Eligibility requirements are honorable Federal military service between September 8, 1939 and December 31, 1946.

(f) Lapel button for service prior to September 8, 1939. (Not issued or sold by the Department of the Army.) A button 7/16-inch high and 5/8-inch wide, of gold-color metal consists of an eagle perched within a ring which displays seven white and six red vertical stripes and a blue chief bearing the words “National Defense.” It may be worn only by a person who served honorably before September 8, 1939 as an enlisted man, warrant officer, nurse, contract surgeon, veterinarian, or commissioned officer, in the Regular Army or a Citizen's Military Training Camp for 2 months, or in the National Guard, Enlisted Reserve Corps, or Senior ROTC for 1 year, or in junior ROTC for 2 years.

(g) Army Lapel Button. The Army Lapel Button is a gratuitous issue item made up of a minute man in gold color on a red enamel disk surrounded by 16-pointed gold rays with an outside diameter of 9/16-inch. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

(1) Soldiers transitioning with an honorable characterization of service (those being transferred to another component for completion of a military service obligation, and those receiving an Honorable Discharge Certificate).

(2) Non-adverse separation provision.

(3) Minimum 9 months continuous service—a break is 24 hours or more.

(4) Active Federal service on or after April 1, 1984; or, service in a Ready Reserve unit organized to serve as a unit (National Guard unit or Army Reserve troop program unit) on or after July 1, 1986.

(5) Retroactive issuance is not authorized.

(6) No soldier separating from the Service is to be awarded more than one Army Lapel Button.

(h) U.S. Army Retired Lapel Button. Retired Army personnel who are in possession of DD Form 2 (U.S. Uniformed Services Identification Card) (Retired)) are eligible to wear the Army Retired Lapel Button. Commanders will present the U.S. Army Retired Lapel Button to Army personnel at an appropriate ceremony before they retire.

(i) Active Reserve Lapel Button. The Active Reserve Lapel Button is authorized for active membership in the Ready Reserve of the Army. It is made up of a minute man in gold color on a bronze color base and is 11/16-inch in length. The button is an optional purchase item, not issued or sold by the Department of the Army. It is not worn on the uniform.

(j) Lapel Button for Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army (KATUSA). The KATUSA Lapel Button (KLB) was approved by the Secretary of the Army on March 22, 1988 as a gratuitous issue item. The KLB is a round disk with an outside diameter of 9/16-inch that is comprised of a Korean Taeguk that consists of the characteristics from both the U.S. and Republic of Korea National Flags resting on a white background. The words “Honorable Service * KATUSA” are situated on the border of the outer edge of the KLB.

(1) The following requirements must be met to be eligible for award of the KLB:

(i) Individual must have been a Republic of Korea Army soldier who has been assigned as a KATUSA soldier to a U.S. Army unit or activity for a minimum of 9 months of continuous honorable active service on or after March 22, 1988.

(ii) Must be separating from active duty with the Republic of Korea Army.

(iii) Disqualifying characterization of service for the award of the KLB is identical with that used for the Army Lapel Button.

(2) Issuance requirements are as follows:

(i) The KLB will be awarded to all eligible KATUSA soldiers.

(ii) The U.S. Army unit commander will coordinate with the appropriate Republic of Korea staff officer/NCO to obtain Republic of Korea Army concurrence prior to presentation of the KLB.

(iii) Presentation will normally be made by the U.S. Army unit commander to which last assigned prior to separation from active service or by his designated U.S. Army commissioned officer representative during a troop formation or other appropriate ceremony.

(3) Orders will not be published to confirm award of the KLB.

(k) Gold Star Lapel Button. The Gold Star Lapel Button was established by Act of Congress (Pub. L. 80-306) August 1, 1947, codified at 10 U.S.C. 1126 in order to provide an appropriate identification for widows, widowers, parents, and next of kin of members of the Armed Forces of the United States who lost their lives during World War I, April 6, 1917 to March 3, 1921; World War II, September 8, 1939 to July 25, 1947; any subsequent period of armed hostilities in which the United States was engaged before July 1, 1958 (United Nations action in Korea, June 27, 1950 to July 27, 1954); or who lost their lives after June 30, 1958, while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict in which the United States is not a belligerent party against an opposing Armed Force; or who lost or lose their lives after March 28, 1973, as a result of an international terrorist attack against the United States or a foreign nation friendly to the United States, recognized as such an attack by the Secretary of Defense; or while serving in a military operation while serving outside the United States (including the commonwealths, territories, and possessions of the United States) as part of a peacekeeping force.

(1) The Gold Star Lapel Button consists of a gold star on a purple circular background, bordered in gold and surrounded by gold laurel leaves. On the reverse is the inscription “United States of America, Act of Congress, August 1966” with space for engraving the initials of the recipient. Gold Star Lapel Buttons inscribed August 1947 may be issued until present inventories are exhausted.

(2) One Gold Star Lapel Button will be furnished without cost to the widow or widower, to each of the parents, each child, stepchild, child through adoption, brother, half brother, sister, and half sister of a member of the Armed Forces who lost his or her life while in the active military service during the periods indicated above. The term “widow or widower” includes those who have since remarried, and the term “parents” includes mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, mother through adoption, father through adoption, and foster parents who stood in loco parentis. Request for replacement of the Gold Star Lapel Button (lost, destroyed or unserviceable) will be submitted on DD Form 3 (Application for Gold Star Lapel Button) to NPRC (see § 578.16 (a)(3)).

(3) Each casualty area commander and major overseas commander will stock Gold Star Lapel Buttons and ensure that survivor assistance officers are provided them for issue to eligible next of kin. Normally, delivery should not be made prior to the first visit to the next of kin following interment.

(l) Lapel Button for Next of Kin of Deceased Personnel. The Lapel Button, Next of Kin of Deceased Personnel is provided to widows(ers), parents, and primary next of kin of armed services members who lose their lives while serving on active duty or while assigned in an Army Reserve or Army National Guard unit in a drill status.

(1) The button consists of a gold star within a circle (commemorating honorable service) surrounded by sprigs of oak (referring to the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps).

(2) One lapel button will be furnished without cost to the widow or widower, to each of the parents, each child, stepchild, child through adoption, brother, half brother, sister, and half sister of a member of the Armed Forces who lost his or her life while on active duty. The term widow or widower includes those who have since remarried, and the term parents includes mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, mother through adoption, father through adoption, and foster parents who stood in place of a parent.

(3) Casualty area commands will stock the button and ensure that survivor assistance officers issue them to eligible next of kin.

(4) The Lapel Button, Next of Kin of Deceased Personnel is authorized for issue retroactive to March 29, 1973. The next of kin of soldiers who died since that date may request issue of the button by writing to the NPRC (see § 578.16(a)(3)). Furnish the name, grade, SSN, and date of death of the deceased soldier. The names and relationships of the next of kin must also be provided.

(m) Army Superior Unit Award Lapel Pin. The Army Superior Unit Award Lapel Pin is authorized for issue and wear by DA civilians in the employ of a unit awarded the Army Superior Unit Award. The lapel pin is also authorized for optional purchase and wear on civilian clothing by qualified military personnel.