Executive Order 11904 Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)

Executive Order 11904—Establishing the Defense Superior Service Medal

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Friday, February 6, 1976

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1 min read (287 words)

Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis

Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.

This executive order, signed by President Gerald R. Ford on 1976-02-06, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Establishing the Defense Superior Service Medal." It outlines operative directives for executive department officers, delegating enforcement responsibilities and establishing official governance guidelines.

Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.

Key Directives & Operative Actions

▪ The Defense Superior Service Medal and appurtenances thereto shall be of appropriate design approved by the Secretary of Defense and shall be awarded under such regulations as he shall prescribe.

▪ These regulations shall place the Defense Superior Service Medal in an order of precedence after the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal and the Silver Star Medal, but before the Legion of Merit.

▪ No more than one Defense Superior Service Medal shall be awarded to any one person, but for each succeeding period of superior meritorious service justifying such an award, a suitable device may be awarded to be worn with that Medal as prescribed by appropriate regulations of the Department of Defense.

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Armed Forces & Military Establishments 🏛️ Executive Departments & Federal Civil Servants 🏛️ Financial Institutions & Monetary Authorities

Total Words

287

1,750 characters

Estimated Read Time

1 min

@ 200 words / min

Flesch-Kincaid

21.5

Post-Grad reading level

Constitutional Polarity

+0.02

Framers' Alignment index

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Scholarly & Legal Citations

Exec. Order No. 11904, Gerald R. Ford (Feb 6, 1976). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-11904-establishing-the-defense-superior-service-medal.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)

Original Source →

By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States of America, and as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, it is hereby ordered as follows: SECTION 1. There is hereby established a Defense Superior Service Medal with accompanying ribbons and appurtenances for award by the Secretary of Defense to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has rendered superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a specified or unified command, a Defense agency, or such other joint activity as may be designated by the Secretary of Defense. SEC. 2. The Defense Superior Service Medal and appurtenances thereto shall be of appropriate design approved by the Secretary of Defense and shall be awarded under such regulations as he shall prescribe. These regulations shall place the Defense Superior Service Medal in an order of precedence after the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal and the Silver Star Medal, but before the Legion of Merit. SEC. 3. No more than one Defense Superior Service Medal shall be awarded to any one person, but for each succeeding period of superior meritorious service justifying such an award, a suitable device may be awarded to be worn with that Medal as prescribed by appropriate regulations of the Department of Defense. SEC. 4. The Defense Superior Service Medal or device may be awarded posthumously, and when so awarded, may be presented to such representative of the deceased as may be deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Defense. GERALD R. FORD The White House, February 6, 1976.