Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award
It was established in 1954 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and was the first independent Air Force decoration created (to this point, Air Force personnel were routinely awarded Army decorations).The Outstanding Unit Award is awarded to any unit of the U.S. Air Force (including the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard) which performs exceptionally meritorious service, accomplishes specific acts of outstanding achievement, excels in combat operations against an armed enemy of the United States, or conducts with distinct military operations involving conflict with, or exposure to, a hostile action by any opposing foreign force.Multiple awards of the Outstanding Unit Award are denoted by bronze oak leaf clusters, and silver oak leaf clusters, as applicable, on the ribbon.Non-USAF personnel (e.g., USN, USMC, USCG) personnel assigned to USAF units awarded the Outstanding Unit Award are also eligible to wear the ribbon on their uniforms.However, the ribbon does not come in the larger size of unit awards common to the U.S. Army.