National Intelligence Medal for Valor

National Intelligence Medal for Valor
National Intelligence Medal for Valor
Awarded by United States Intelligence Community
Type	Individual award
Eligibility	United States Government civilian and military personnel
Awarded for	Heroism and courage in connection with an Intelligence Community contribution to national security
Status	Active
Statistics
Established	1 October 2008
First awarded	14 November 2008
Precedence
Next (higher)	National Intelligence Cross
Next (lower)	National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
National Intelligence Medal for Valor ribbon

The National Intelligence Medal for Valor, formerly the Intelligence Community Medal for Valor, is a decoration of the United States Intelligence Community awarded by the National Intelligence Awards Program led by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

The Director of National Intelligence established the Intelligence Community Medal for Valor on 1 October 2008, to "acknowledge the exceptional and unrecognized accomplishments of members of the Intelligence Community." In 2009, the award was renamed the National Intelligence Medal for Valor.

The medal recognizes heroism and courage above and beyond the call of duty in service to the intelligence community or to overall national security. Second only to the National Intelligence Cross it is the equivalent to the military Silver Star. There are very few recipients of this prestigious medal. It awarded almost exclusively posthumously. By nature this medal is associated with clandestine operation in hostile countries and the identities of living recipients are closely guarded secrets.

The medal was first awarded on 14 November 2008, to Marine Corps Lance Corporal James E. Swain, who died 15 November 2004, of wounds received while serving as a Marine Corps intelligence analyst during the Battle of Fallujah in Iraq. Its first recipient under its new name was Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Steven P. Daugherty, sometime before 21 May 2009.

Defense Department officials have released the names of three other recipients, all of whom received their medals posthumously: Air Force 1st Lieutenant Roslyn L. Schulte, who received it on 22 January 2010; Marine Sergeant Lucas T. Pyeatt, on 29 June 2011; and Marine Capt. Trevor J. Yurista, on 1 September 2011.

As of June 2011, the medal had also been awarded to six living recipients whose names have been kept secret, according to DoD officials.