The Prisoner of War Medal was authorized by Congress and signed into law by Ronald Regan on November 8, 1985.  These military awards are presented to any P.O.W. taken prisoner or held captive while engaged in military operations against an enemy of the U.S., or while serving with a friendly force engaged in armed conflict with and enemy which is not a belligerent party to the U.S.   These military medals may also be awarded retroactively to U.S. military personnel who were P.O.W.s from previous wars and conflicts dating back to our entry into WWI on April 6, 1917.

On November 29, 1989, an amendment was added to provide these military ribbons and medals for service personnel who have been kidnapped, or held captive by terrorist groups with whom the U.S. is not legally at war.  It also includes detainees, and internees of neutral countries when their service secretary deems that circumstances of their captivity were comparable to those under which persons have generally been held captive by enemy armed forces during periods of armed conflict.  The person’s conduct, while in captivity, must have been honorable. This medal may be awarded posthumously to the surviving next of kin of the recipient.

The Prisoner of War Medal is worn just below the Army Achievement Medal, the Navy “E” Ribbon, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Citation; and just above the Army, Navy and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals and the Air Force Combat Readiness Medal in the order of precedence for military medals and ribbons.

The Prisoner of War Medal is generally available as Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corp, and Coast Guard medals and ribbons, and can be worn as traditional full size military medals and mini medals, military ribbons and lapel pins.  Like most military medals, it is available as traditional slide-on, full size military medals or mini-medals, slide-on military ribbons, and thin military medals, mini-medals and ribbons.