The Texas Medal of Merit is conferred to any service member of the Texas Military Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding service, extraordinary achievement, or act of courage on behalf of the State of Texas or the United States.
Meritorious achievement or meritorious service includes that service rendered specifically on behalf of the Texas Military Forces, and/or to the United States Armed Forces. It also includes acts of courage which do not meet the requirements for confer of a higher decoration.
Superior performance of normal duties does not, in itself, constitute automatic justification for decoration of the Texas Medal of Merit. Decorations will be restricted to the recognition of achievements and services that are clearly outstanding and unmistakably exceptional when compared to similar achievements of personnel of like rank and responsibilities. This service or achievement, although clearly outstanding, is of a lesser degree than that service or achievement required for a higher decoration. Successful accomplishment of a pre-designated number of tasks or functions is not a valid basis for an automatic decoration. However, unusual and extraordinary sustained performance may be used as a point of departure in justifying meritorious achievement or service.
In instances where many service members are affiliated with an exceptionally meritorious program, project, or mission, the Texas Medal of Merit will be conferred only to those relatively few service members whose contributions clearly stand out from the others and who have contributed most to the success of the program.
The Texas Medal of Merit is conferred for act of courage which involve personal hazard or danger and the voluntary risk of life but which, although sufficient to clearly set themselves apart from other service members in similar circumstances, is of a lesser degree than required for the Lone Star Medal of Valor. When conferred for act of courage, a bronze block letter “V” will be included.
The medal pendant is of bronze, 1-1/4 inches in diameter. On the obverse side is a five-pointed star, one point up, 3/4 of an inch in diameter; superimposed on the star is a Roman two-handed sword, point down, with crossed branches of olive and live oak; in the reentrant angles, there are three raised rays. The star is encircled by the words "MERITORIOUS SERVICE" along the upper arc, "TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD" along the upper arc, and "FOR SERVICE" along the lower arc, in raised letters. The medal pendant is suspended by a ring from a moiré silk ribbon, 1-3/8 inches long and 1-3/8 inches wide, composed of stripes of red, blue, red, yellow, red, blue and red.
Devices
Subsequent decorations
A bronze acorn, ¼ of an inch in length, is conferred for second and succeeding decorations. A silver acorn is worn in lieu of five bronze acorns. Silver acorns are worn to the wearer's right of a bronze acorn. "Acorns will be worn centered on the suspension ribbon and service ribbon with acorn upright. If four acorns are worn on the suspension ribbon, the fourth one will be placed above the middle one in the row of three. Up to four acorns will be worn side-by-side on the service ribbon".
Act(s) of courage
The “V” device is a bronze block letter “V”. It is conferred for an act or acts of courage. The “V” device is worn centered on the suspension ribbon and service ribbon. Not more than one “V” device will be worn on a ribbon. When worn with an acorn or acorns, the “V” device will be worn on the wearer's right.
