Mobile Infantry Combat Awards
Hero of the Federation
Hero of the Federation - The highest award the Federation has to offer; it is often awarded to citizens who often went above and beyond the call of duty and sacrificed themselves for the greater whole and the safety of mankind.
Medal of Valour
Awarded to a Trooper who distinguished himself by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty. The deed performed must have been one of the personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the Trooper above his comrades and must have involved the risk of life.
This is the highest award possible in the Mobile Infantry and only a handful may be awarded during the toughest campaign. Often awarded posthumously, to be considered for this a Trooper must have attempted and succeeded in an action that could fairly be described as impossible or even suicidal. The Mobile Infantry values the self-sacrifice aspect of this award beyond anything else, hence the propensity for often making the award posthumously.
Legion of Merit
Awarded to recognise a Trooper who, through gallantry, determination and esprit de corps, succeeds in his mission while under difficult and hazardous conditions.
One of the highest awards given in the Mobile Infantry, the Legion of Merit ensures the Trooper is remembered throughout the Federation - in the very least, he will be the star of FedNet news and documentaries. To be considered for the Legion of Merit, the Trooper must have not only been assigned and successfully completed a mission with a very low probability of survival (as determined by Military Intelligence), but to have exceeded all expectations in doing so.
Mobile Infantry Cross
Awarded to members of the Mobile Infantry for extraordinary heroism in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing alien force.
Rated somewhere inbetween the Meritorious Service Medal and the Medal of Valour, the Mobile Infantry Cross is awarded to Troopers who demonstrate extreme bravery while under fire but who do not quite reach the heady heights of the Medal of Valour.
The MI Cross is awarded to troopers who have performed above and beyond the expectations of the Federal Armed Services and as such are only selected and awarded by the Mobile Infantry Battalion Commander themselves.
Valorous Unit Medal
Awarded to recognise extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy.
A step beyond the Meritorious Unit Medal, the Valorous Unit Medal is awarded to squads and platoons who meet and exceed all expectations during combat. This is an important award in terms of company honour and many consider the capability of a company to be measured by the number of VUMs its squads and platoons have earned. Like the Meritorious Unit Medal, it is awarded to every member of the unit that has qualified for it.
Meritorious Service Medal
Awarded to a Trooper for exceptional conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements in support of his comrades.
To be considered for the Meritorious Service Medal, a Trooper must maintain a high and constant level of commitment to his squad, likely gaining one or more Citations for Meritorious Service along the way. The MSM is then awarded for specific actions that are worthy of recognition but do not quialify the Trooper for greater awards. A long serving Trooper can expect to earn several of these awards during his service.
Meritorious Unit Medal
Awarded to recognise a Trooper's contribution to his unit during sustained combat situations.
Subtly different to the Meritorious Service Medal, this award is made to every member of a squad (or, rarely, a platoon) that qualifies. It is normally awarded to squads at the end of a campaign or tour that have consistently met or exceeded all their mission objectives.
Distinguished Service Medal
Awarded to a Trooper who distinguishes himself by exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility.
To earn the DSM, a Trooper must have been tasked with a particular responsibility in a combat situations (such as setting off demo charges, holding a flank, slicing into a computer system or targetting a main objective) and been successful to an unprecedented degree. For example, if a Trooper was tasked with setting of a TOAD charge at a certain time but ended up having to fight off an entire Warrior bug swarm before doing so, he could be considered for the DSM.
Mobile Infantry Silver Star
The Mobile Infantry Silver Star is awarded for significant contributions on a Company-level iteration to any Mobile Infantry Company or specific division. It is primarily awarded to troopers who have provided on a regular basis a recognizable service to any Company or subdivision (Combat Medical, Engineering, Internal Security, etc.) and is considered to be a 'step up' from the Good Conduct Medal.
Good Conduct Medal
Awarded to those Troopers who, through exemplary conduct, have shown themselves to be models of efficiency and fidelity.
Rarely awarded for a single action, the Good Conduct Medal is given to Troopers who have consistently proved the ability to place the safety of their squad mates above that of themselves. A Trooper who has often risked his life to retrieve a wounded squad member or volunteers to be the rearguard during a retreat is a good candidate for the GCM.
Veteran Combat medal
Awarded to a Trooper who has distinguished himself by a superior achievement while participating in combat.
This is rarer than the Combat Action Medal but it is still relatively easy to achieve with a long enough service. It is typically awarded when a Trooper has survived and completed twenty successful missions. This award is sometimes delayed if some missions are deemed to be 'milk runs'.
There are specialty versions of this medal covering such specialties as field medic, engineer, marauder etc.
Combat Action Medal
Awarded to a Trooper who has distinguished himself by dedication while participating in combat.
This is a fairly common medal in the Mobile Infantry and his typically awarded when a Trooper has survived and completed five successful missions. This award is sometimes delayed if some missions are deemed to be 'milk runs'.
There are specific versions of this medal covering such specialties in the field such as field medic, engineer, marauder etc.
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is awarded to any Troopers who, during active combat, received any injury ranging from serious (mild disfiguration, scarring, et cetera) to severe/critical (limb or extremity loss, organ rupture, et cetera). As such, it is one of the most commonly awarded medals within the Mobile Infantry; often, a trooper displays their veterancy more so through the amount of star clusters on their Purple Heart than through a Veterancy Ribbon.
Citation for Meritorious Service
Unlike the other awards, this is not an actual medal but rather a mark of good conduct on a Trooper's record. It is often used as a commendation when an actual medal has not been qualified for or is otherwise deemed as inappropriate. Several such citations can go a long way to securing a promotion for a Trooper and are a prime consideration when officers are searching for a new Corporal or Sergeant.
Awards of the Mobile Infantry
Mobile Infantry Service Ribbon
The Mobile Infantry Service Ribbon is presented to any trooper who has attained the rank of Corporal and held it for no less than 2 months while on active combat duty. This ribbon serves to recognize junior NCOs for their contribution as a non commissioned officer in his or her respective Mobile Infantry company.
Outstanding Services to Combat Medicine Ribbon
Awarded to troopers who have made outstanding and recognizable contributions to the field of Combat Medicine within their respective Mobile Infantry division, battalion, platoon, or company. Generally awarded to those who have ascended to the rank of 'Medical Lead' within their company.
Outstanding Services to Combat Engineering Ribbon
Awarded to troopers who have made outstanding and recognizable contributions to the field of Combat Engineering within their respective Mobile Infantry division, battalion, platoon, or company. Generally awarded to those who have ascended to the rank of 'Engineering Lead' within their company, but may also be awarded for extraordinary acts pertaining to Combat Engineering which have made a noticeable difference to the company the trooper pertains to.
General Specialization Ribbon
The General Specialization Ribbon is awarded to any trooper who has mastered any weapon system other than the standard Morita rifle. It is offered exclusively to those within the Weapon Specialist sub-division of the Mobile Infantry company when they complete training and receive certification on one of the offered weapon systems [Morita Mk1 Carbine, Morita Mk2-Mk4 w/ underbarrel GL training, Morita Mk1 DMR, M402 Incinerator Unit, & M55]
Mobile Infantry Veterancy Ribbon
The Mobile Infantry Veterancy Ribbon is awarded to all troopers who have, under United Citizen Federation oath and guidelines, completed their two year service period. It is a symbol worn proudly by veteran soldiers who have not only completed their base armed services period but have also elected to continue into what is considered a "career" path [Any tour of service to the UCF moving beyond the two year period]
Theatre Ribbons
A new ribbon is created for every defined campaign the Mobile Infantry engages in. This is given to every active participant of the campaign.
