# § 9276. Silver star: award
The President may award a silver star of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Air Force or the Space Force, is cited for gallantry in action that does not warrant a medal of honor or Air Force cross—
**(1)** while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
**(2)** while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
**(3)** while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
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**Source Credit**: (Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 541, § 8746; Pub. L. 88–77, § 3(3), July 25, 1963, 77 Stat. 95; renumbered § 9276, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 806(b)(11), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1833; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 923(c)(12)(A)(iv), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3811.)
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 8746 | 10:1412. | July 9, 1918, ch. 143 (words after 2d semicolon of 12th par. under “Ordnance Department”); restated Jan. 24, 1920, ch. 55, § 1 (last sentence); restated Dec. 15, 1942, ch. 736, 56 Stat. 1052. |
The words “may award” are inserted to conform to other sections of this chapter. The words “if the person earned” are inserted for clarity. The words “commanded by” are omitted as surplusage.
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
2021— inserted “or the Space Force” after “the Air Force” in introductory provisions.
2018— renumbered as this section.
1963— substituted provisions permitting the issuance of a silver star for gallantry while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States, while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party, and requiring it to be of appropriate design, for provisions which authorized the issuance of the silver star for gallantry in action and which required that the silver star be three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, the citation thereof be published in orders issued from the headquarters of a force that is the appropriate command of a general officer, and that it be worn as directed by the President.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment
Amendment by effective , with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see , set out as a note preceding .