" V " Device The " V " device is miniature bronze letter " V " which may be worn on certain medals and ribbons issued to members of the United States Armed Forces . The Army and Air Force refer to it as the " V " Device , while the Navy , Marine Corps , and Coast Guard refer to it as Combat Distinguishing Device or Combat " V " . The inch " V " with serifs must be authorized for wear in order to be worn on certain decorations and awards . Criteria and wear . The criteria vary between the services : Although a service member may be cited for valor and heroism in combat many times and be awarded several awards authorizing the " V " device , only one may be worn on the same award . For example , if a soldier was awarded a Bronze Star Medal on three occasions , twice with the " V " device , he would wear one " V " device with two bronze oak leaf clusters on the suspension and service ribbon of the medal . Similarly , in the Navy , Marines , or Coast Guard , the Combat " V " would be worn with two gold stars . In such cases , the " V " is worn in the position of honor to the right of the other devices on the ribbon from the wearer ' s perspective . Further , with regard to the Medal of Honor , the Department of Defense , " Manual of Military Decorations and Awards , 2010 " currently specifies , " for each succeeding act that would otherwise justify award of the Medal of Honor , the individual receiving the subsequent award is authorized to wear an additional Medal of Honor ribbon and / or a " V " device on the Medal of Honor suspension ribbon . " The " V " device or " combat distinguishing device ' must be specifically authorized on the award citation for the decoration or unit award in order to be worn on the award . An Air Force citation for an individual award authorized the " V " will have " with Valor " after the name of the decoration while the certificate for the decoration will have the word " VALOR " written below the name of the decoration . Similarly , an Air Force unit award authorized the " V " will have , with " V " Device , written on the certificate for the award . Example of " V ' devices on service ribbons . The following examples show the " V " device on various service ribbons , either worn alone or in conjunction with other devices on the ribbon : Decorations and awards . The " V " device may be worn on the following decorations and unit awards : History . In 1944 , the Army authorized the " V " Device as an attachment to be worn on the Bronze Star Medal . The " V " device was first worn to denote an award for valor in 1945 . The Secretary of the Navy authorized the Combat " V " for the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star Medal on February 13 , 1946 . The device is currently authorized for certain decorations and awards to denote valor in combat , combat participation , or combat support participation . In 1996 , the " V " device garnered public attention after the suicide of Admiral Jeremy Boorda , who was the Chief of Naval Operations of the Department of the Navy . The news media reported that his death by suicide may have been caused by a Navy investigation into whether he was wearing this device on the service ribbon s of his uniform without authorization . Admiral Boorda had been wearing a Combat " V " on two decorations he was awarded during the Vietnam War as a weapons officer and executive officer aboard two naval ships off the coast of Vietnam . Although there were indications these devices were authorized to be worn on his Navy Commendation and Achievement Medals , the Department of the Navy Board For Correction of Naval Records determined after his death that both of the devices were not authorized to be worn . In 2011 , updated regulations concerning the Medal of Honor specified that the " V " Device ( or Combat " V " ) , instead of the oak leaf cluster and 5 / 16 inch star would be used to denote additional citations in the rare event of a second Medal of Honor recipient . This is the first use of the " V " device for a Medal of Honor . As there has not been a living repeat Medal of Honor recipient since the era of World War I , the use of the " V " device in this fashion has yet to be implemented in practice .