Draft the DECOR 6 recommendation, write the citation in the required Air Force format, then route the package through official channels.
Air Force decorations are approved on paper before they are pinned on a uniform, and the paper has hard rules. You don’t learn how to write Air Force decorations by polishing adjectives; you learn the package structure, draft the citation to the exact prescribed format, and route it through official channels.
One caveat up front: installations interpret some details differently — line limits, symbol use, form handling — so the local awards office remains the final authority on house specifics.
Assemble The Decoration Recommendation Package
Every decoration package hinges on two documents: the DECOR 6 recommendation form and the citation itself. DAFI 36-2803, the instruction governing “proper recommendation and submittal into official channels” plus approval and presentation, makes the DECOR 6 the primary document required with every decoration recommendation or non-recommendation.
Supporting records complete the package when they apply:
- OPRs or EPRs covering the inclusive period of the citation.
- Fitness score printouts from the Air Force Fitness Management System.
- A PC-III/MILMOD printout for PCS decorations when the departure date differs.
The citation is prepared on the form assigned to that decoration: AF Form 2228 for the Meritorious Service Medal, AF Form 2224 for the Air Force Commendation Medal, and AF Form 2274 for the Air Force Achievement Medal. Once assembled, the package routes through the chain of command, and the awards office reviews it before it reaches the approving authority.
Draft The Decoration Citation: Format Rules
Citations are typed letter-quality on 8½-by-11-inch plain bond paper, with landscape the standard orientation. The finished sheet must be free of corrections, white-outs, strikeovers, and abbreviations; only name suffixes like Jr., Sr., II, and III are permitted.
DAFMAN 36-2806 defines three basic elements. The opening sentence identifies the recipient’s grade, name, duty assignment if applicable, location, and inclusive dates. The narrative body follows — specific, usually no more than two sentences, written in active voice with forceful verbs, and centered on the page. The closing sentence is mandatory and uses the Air Force’s prescribed wording for that specific decoration. Compound grades are written out in the opening sentence and may be shortened later in the citation.
Formatting controls matter as much as the words. Body text never extends below the “GIVEN UNDER MY HAND” line, margins hold at one inch left and right, and Times New Roman 12 point is the common typeface in unit guidance. Local processing rules set line counts; one headquarters guide permits 14 lines maximum for MSM, Air Medal, AAM, and AFCM citations, and 11–12 lines maximum for AFAM citations.
What Mistakes Get A Decoration Citation Rejected?
Formatting errors, not weak prose, bounce most packages. The violations below are the ones unit guides flag repeatedly:
| Common Mistake | What To Do Instead |
|---|---|
| White-out, strikeover, or handwritten fix | Retype the entire citation cleanly |
| Abbreviations such as Dec. or shortened grades | Write text in full; only name suffixes stand |
| Rank separated from the name at a line break | Keep grade and name together |
| Day and month split at the end of a line | Keep them on one line; the year may separate |
| Unit designator broken apart | Keep “2d Bomb Wing” style designators together |
| Inclusive dates repeated in the narrative body | Put dates in the opening sentence only |
Symbols show how local variance works: some Air Force guides ban $ and % outright, while others allow them because they are widely recognized. Wherever a unit guide conflicts with the instruction, DAFI 36-2803 wins, and unofficial templates never override current official guidance.
When the citation clears review and the approving authority signs it, the award moves toward presentation. If you are responsible for supplying the medal, ribbon, mountings, or case rather than drawing them from base supply, the best Air Force decorations to buy are worth checking before you order.
FAQs
Which Air Force form do I use for the citation?
The form depends on the decoration. Use AF Form 2228 for the Meritorious Service Medal, AF Form 2224 for the Air Force Commendation Medal, and AF Form 2274 for the Air Force Achievement Medal. For decorations outside that group, ask your awards office which form is current before you start typing.
Can I fix a typo with correction tape or white-out?
No. Citations must be letter-quality with no corrections, and Air Force standards ban white-outs, strikeovers, handwritten fixes, erasures, and smudges. A single mistake means retyping the entire citation on clean bond paper. Retyping takes minutes; a returned package takes weeks.
How long can the narrative body be?
The narrative itself is typically no more than two sentences. For total line limits, local processing guidance governs: one headquarters-level guide allows 14 lines for MSM, Air Medal, AAM, and AFCM citations, and 11–12 lines for AFAM citations. Confirm your unit’s limit with the awards office.
References & Sources
- Department of the Air Force. “DAFI 36-2803.” Governing instruction for decoration recommendation, approval, and presentation.
- Department of the Air Force. “DAFMAN 36-2806.” Defines citation elements and letter-quality standards.
- 913th Decoration Writing Guide. “Decoration Writing Guide.” Unit-level formatting guidance on margins, typeface, and citation layout.