| Defense Superior Service Medal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Superior service medal |
| Awarded for | Superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility |
| Presented by | United States Department of Defense[1] |
| Eligibility | United States Armed Forces service members |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Established | 6 February 1976 |
  | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Silver Star Medal[2] |
| Next (lower) | Legion of Merit[2] |
The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility.
It is most often presented to general and flag officers, followed by a lesser number of Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force colonels and Navy and Coast Guard captains. Presented in the name of the United States Secretary of Defense, it was established by President Gerald R. Ford on February 6, 1976 in Executive Order 11904. It is analogous and senior to the Legion of Merit, albeit awarded for service in a joint duty capacity.
- ^ "Issuances" (PDF). www.esd.whs.mil. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-09-12. Retrieved 2018-09-29.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
1348.33,v1was invoked but never defined (see the help page).