The term United Nations Medal refers to one of several international decorations which are issued by the United Nations (U.N.) to the various militaries of the world for participation in joint international military operations such as peacekeeping, humanitarian efforts, and disaster relief. A United Nations Medal is ranked in most militaries as a service medal, meaning that it is not issued for a specific heroic or meritorious act, but rather for general participation in a broad operation.

The first United Nations Medal to be created was the United Nations Service Medal, also known as the United Nations Korea Medal, which was awarded by the United Nations to all countries which aided South Korea during the years of the Korean War. Since 1955, over two dozen additional United Nations Medals have been created by the U.N. and awarded for participation in various United Nations actions around the world.

The most common United Nations Medal is the standard U.N. decoration known simply as the United Nations Medal. Most countries bestow this award for any action in which a member of the military participated in a joint U.N. activity. In situations where a service member participated in multiple U.N. operations, service stars or campaign clasps are authorized as attachments to the United Nations Medal.

The United Nations also issues an entire series of campaign specific United Nations Medals, each for a different activity or operation. In most nations, the standard United Nations Medal is awarded in lieu of a campaign specific medal. Some nations, such as France, permit members of the military to receive and display multiple United Nations Medals as separate decorations. Other countries, in particular the United Kingdom, will only permit a service member to receive the standard United Nations Medal and authorize service stars to denote multiple operations where several United Nations Medals were received.

In the United States armed forces, service members are encouraged to only wear the standard United Nations Medal. However, there are several examples where military members have chosen to wear campaign specific United Nations Medals. In all such cases, a service member who received several United Nations Medals is permitted to display only one such medal on their military uniform, that medal being of the service member’s choice. Multiple United Nations Medals are then denoted by service stars on the United Nations Medal which is being displayed.

Since the United Nations Medal is an international decoration, it is ranked in most militaries as a foreign award and displayed after all decorations of a service member’s particular military force.

Other international awards include the NATO Medal, the Multinational Force and Observers Medal, and the Inter-American Defense Board Medal.