A Strike/Flight Numeral is a Department of the Navy device that may be awarded for wear on the Air Medal to individuals serving in any capacity in the United States Armed Forces. A Strike/Flight Award is awarded to individuals for meritorious achievement while participating in sustained aerial flight operations, under flight orders. Strike/Flight Numerals are bronze Arabic numerals 5/16 inch in height and are worn to denote the total number of Strike/Flight awards
Only personnel under flight orders are eligible to receive the strike/flight award of an Air Medal. Officers in the rank of Captain (or Colonel in the Marine Corps) are not eligible for award of the Air Medal on a strike/flight basis unless the sorties they fly are required in the performance of their regular duties.
- Strikes are sorties that deliver ordnance against the enemy, insert or extract assault personnel, or engage in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations that encounter enemy opposition.
- Flights are sorties that deliver ordnance against the enemy, insert or extract assault personnel, or engage in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations that encounter no enemy opposition. The distinguishing feature of a flight is that although it takes place in a nominally hostile environment, it does not encounter enemy opposition.
The Strike/Flight Numeral device is similar to the bronze or gold Numeral device (3/16 inch) sometimes called an award numeral. Strike/Flight Numerals are positioned to the wearer's left on the ribbon bar and suspension ribbon of the Air Medal. Since August 22, 2006, total individual awards of the Air Medal that were denoted by gold 5/16 inch Arabic numerals on the medal have been replaced by gold 5/16 inch stars to denote second and subsequent individual awards of the medal
Famous quotes containing the words strike and/or flight:
“So, instead of spending my strength quarreling with the hand, I would strike for the heart of that great tyranny.”
—Jane Grey Swisshelm (1815–1884)
“Here I am.... You get the parts of me you like and also the parts that make you uncomfortable. You have to understand that other people’s comfort is no longer my job. I am no longer a flight attendant.”
—Patricia Ireland (b. 1935)