When a decoration is awarded more than once to a particular crewmember, a second medal is not awarded but the original medal earns a cluster. For example, a Crewman who had been awarded the Purple Heart twice would have the award referred to as a "Purple Heart with Cluster". A Lieutenant who earned three Starfleet Survival Crosses would have their award referred to as "Starfleet Survival Cross with Clusters". That trend continues beyond the third award with Clusters basically meaning any more than two. It should be noted that few Starfleet personnel ever earn more than five of any particular decoration and almost no one sees more than one of the top honors.

Clusters are small arrowheads of bronze, silver, or gold. Each bronze cluster represents a subsequent award and bronze clusters are the only clusters that take the actual medal into account. In other words, one would get their medal. On a subsequent award of the same decoration, one would get a single bronze cluster. On yet another award of that decoration, another bronze cluster would be awarded. So someone with a decoration with two bronze clusters would actually have been awarded their decoration three times.

At five awards, the medal itself ceases to be counted and instead earns a silver cluster. Thus any decoration with a silver cluster denotes five awards, not six. On the rare chance that a sixth decoration would be awarded, that crewmember would receive a bronze cluster but it is considered bad form to mix cluster types. Most would wait until their tenth such award and then wear a second silver cluster.

A gold cluster can be worn to represent twenty awards. Once a crewmember earns a gold cluster, they will typically refrain from further clustering until twenty more decorations have been earned, taking then another gold cluster.


:. Decorations and Awards

	United Federation of Planets Medal of Honor Award Level: Top Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Both Other Restrictions: None * * * Presented by the President of the Federation in its name, it is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a Federation citizen or member of Starfleet. Those who wear it do not refer to themselves as winners but as recipients, for what they received it was not a contest but a time of terror and death when their valor was tested beyond the call. The Medal of Honor is award to one who distinguishes himself or herself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing force; or while serving with friendly forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet is not a belligerent party. The deed performed must have been one of personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his/her comrades and must have involved the risk of life. Incontestable proof of the performance of the service will be exacted and each recommendation for the award of this decoration will be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit. The United Federation of Planets Medal of Honor is the only decoration worn around the neck and is typically the only medal worn with the dress white uniform. When worn in ribbon form, the Medal of Honor goes above all other awards even if there is only one other below it. It sits on a row of its own. Note: This medal will only be awarded once a year, to one person, to officer of the year. It will only be awarded to officers who have been a member of the crew for six months and over.
	The Star Cross Award Level: Top Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Both Other Restrictions: None * * * Awarded to officers and enlisted personnel of Starfleet who distinguish themselves by extraordinary heroism or exceptional service, not justifying the award of the Medal of Honor. While originally awarded for combat heroism, it is no longer only a combat decoration and may also recognize service and sacrifice in exploratory, scientific, or medical fields while under the threat of great danger. Note: This award will be presented to one officer monthly, for officer of the month. It will only be awarded to officers who have been a member of the crew for one month and over.
	Medal of Valor Award Level: Top Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Combat Other Restrictions: None * * * Awarded to any member of Starfleet who, while serving in any capacity distinguishes themselves by gallantry in action against an enemy of the United Federation of Planets; or while serving with friendly forces against an opposing armed enemy force.
	The Legion of Honor Award Level: Top Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Both Other Restrictions: None * * * Awarded by the Chief in Command of Starfleet (either in person or via subspace) to officers or enlisted who perform exceptionally meritorious service in a degree of great responsibility.
	Grankite Order of Tactics, Class of Excellence Award Level: Medium Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Combat Other Restrictions: None * * * Awarded by Starfleet Command for a superior display of tactical knowledge while in a position of significant responsibility and while assigned to a joint activity. This award can apply to ground combat as well as space combat.
	Preantares Award for Conspicuous Gallantry, First Class Award Level: Medium Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Both Other Restrictions: None * * * Originally, called the Preantares Ribbon of Commendation, it was the first of the commendation awards. It was and still is awarded to members of Starfleet who distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding achievement, or gallant service that involves the saving of a life or lives.
	Kragite Order of Heroism Award Level: Medium Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Both Other Restrictions: Lieutenant Commander and Below Only * * * Awarded to officers (Lieutenant Commander and below) and enlisted personnel serving in Starfleet who distinguish themselves by outstanding heroism. Originally, a combat award, the order is now awarded for both combat and non-combat service.
	The Silver Palm Award Level: Medium Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Combat Other Restrictions: None * * * This is awarded to Starfleet personnel who distinguish themselves by heroic or meritorious achievement in the performance of assigned duties against an opposing enemy force. It is a combat-only award.
	Starfleet Command Distinguished Service Medal Award Level: Medium Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Both Other Restrictions: None * * * Awarded to personnel who have distinguished him or herself with exceptionally meritorious service to the Federation in a duty of great responsibility. Note: This medal will be presented to officers for each year of service they have given to this sim. This will be presented in lieu of two Starfleet Command Meritorious Service Medals.
	Grankite Order of Tactics, Class of Merit Award Level: Lower Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Combat Other Restrictions: None * * * Awarded for superior use of tactics against an opposing force. This award can apply to ground combat as well as space combat.
	Preantares Award for Conspicuous Gallantry, Second Class Award Level: Lower Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Both Other Restrictions: None * * * A lesser version of the Preantares Award for Conspicuous Gallantry First Class, this decoration is awarded to members of Starfleet who distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding achievement, or gallant service yet it does not involve the saving of a life or lives.
	Starfleet Command Meritorious Service Medal Award Level: Lower Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Non-Combat Other Restrictions: None * * * Awarded to any member of Starfleet who distinguishes himself or herself by either outstanding achievement or meritorious service to the United Federation of Planets. Note: This medal will be presented to officers for each six months of service they have given to this sim. If they earn two of these, they will be presented instead with the Starfleet Command Distinguished Service Medal.
	The Palm Leaf of Axanar Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Both Other Restrictions: Special Circumstances (See Description) * * * Originally a commendation award for a specific mission, this is now awarded to members of Starfleet who distinguish themselves by meritorious direct participation in a significant act, or operation of humanitarian nature, or who have rendered a service to "mankind". Operations which merit consideration for the award include disaster, flood, plague, relief work, or rescue operations anywhere in the Galaxy.
	The United Federation of Planets Merit Award for Diplomacy Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Both Other Restrictions: Diplomatic Missions Only * * * Commends an individual who has set a personal example to foster peace, cooperation, and mutual respect between divergent races.
	The Archer First Contact Award Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Non-Combat Other Restrictions: Special Circumstances (See Description) * * * Awarded to individuals and/or starship crews that have engaged in peaceful relations with no less than five species not heretofore encountered. The species in question must be warp-capable and the contact must not be in violation of the Prime Directive. Normally, the Archer First Contact Award only considers encounters that are peaceable from the outset but does occasionally recognize contacts that begin hostile but end peacefully. The number of First Contacts only applies to a particular command and does not carry over with individual personnel although individual contacts will. In other words, if a ship encounters four new species and begins peaceable relations but a particular crewman is transferred off the ship before the fifth occurs, that individual is ineligible for the award and must begin again at the new command. However, if an individual makes four contacts as the leader of an Away Team and then transfers to a new ship where he or she makes a fifth contact as an Away Team leader, the Archer First Contact Award will have been earned.
	The Enterprise Award for Exploration Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Non-Combat Other Restrictions: Special Circumstances (See Description) * * * Awarded to starship crews that have completed extensive exploration of uncharted space, be that by accident or design. Exploration must take place for a specified period of time and the ship in question must have extremely limited access to Federation and/or Starfleet support for the duration. Exploration times are as follows: First Award - 6 months Second Award - 1 year Third Award - 2 years Fourth Award - 3 years Fifth Award - 4 years Note that the award is for months or years spent in continuous exploration. Exploration times do not accumulate for the individual.
	Starfleet Survival Cross Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Both Other Restrictions: Special Circumstances (See Description) * * * Awarded to Starfleet personnel who have been either stranded in an inhospitable environment or held captive by enemy forces for a period of no less than three months. In situations where the captivity or environment are especially arduous (i.e. extremes of temperature or weather harmful to the character's species, torture, etc.) the time requirement may be shortened or practically eliminated.
	Purple Heart Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Combat Other Restrictions: Special Circumstances (See Description) * * * Awarded for combat action only, and is awarded to persons severely wounded in action while serving in Starfleet. It is also awarded posthumously to the next of kin of personnel killed in action, or who died of wounds received in action. For the purposes of this award, severe wounds are defined as wounds that kill (even if the crewmember is ultimately revived) or wounds that cause some degree of lifelong consequences not repairable by Federation medical science.
	The Vulcan Scientific Legion of Honor Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Non-Combat Other Restrictions: Typically Science and Medical Staff Only * * * Awarded for outstanding performances, discoveries or research in several scientific fields. Traditionally, the Vulcan Science Academy announces a number of nominees every five tosri (approximately every 1.55 Starfleet Standard years) from the following scientific fields: Mathematics, Physics, and Exobiology. Award recipients are selected by committee after another tosri (.31 Starfleet Standard years) of reflection, review, and debate. Thus, there are three awarded every 1.86 Starfleet Standard years, one in each of these sciences. Traditionally, this award is exclusively for personnel in the Starfleet Science or Medical Departments though it is frequently awarded to civilian scientists and there have been literal decades in which no Starfleet officer has been awarded the Vulcan Scientific Legion of Honor.
	The Cochrane Medal of Excellence Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Non-Combat Other Restrictions: Typically Engineering or Science Staff Only * * * Awarded to engineers for outstanding research in warp theory. Once each year in the Terran month of June, a special committee of Federation engineers and physicists announces five nominees from Starfleet service. The committee chooses a single recipient following a period of research, review, and intellectual debate. Typically, this award is finalized by mid-August though in the case of one controversial nominee, the committee took until early January to announce. This award is prized by Science personnel but is absolutely coveted by most engineers and seen as the pinnacle of a shining career.
	The Leonard McCoy Starfleet Surgeons Medallion Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Non-Combat Other Restrictions: Medical Staff Only * * * Awarded to anyone serving exclusively as a Starfleet Medical officer or enlisted who has labored intensively to preserve the lives of others even at the risk of their own. This award can be given to acknowledge an especially significant incident in a person's career or it can be given in recognition of years of service. Only a very few are awarded each year.
	Battle of Wolf 359 Service Award Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Combat Other Restrictions: Special Circumstances(See Description) * * * Awarded to officers and enlisted who served on the starships that battled the Borg at Wolf 359 in 2367. This award was also given posthumously to those who perished in the fight.
	Dominion War Campaign Medal Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Both Other Restrictions: Special Circumstances (See Description) * * * Awarded to officers and enlisted on active Starfleet service during the Second Dominion War, from 2422 to 2424. The character need not be serving in a "front line" capacity during the conflict as all service to Starfleet is seen as service to the war effort. Cadets and Recruits still at the Academy or Basic Training are not eligible though such trainees serving aboard starships during the conflict may be given special dispensation. Likewise, commissioned officers and enlisted attending secondary schools are eligible for the award.
	Sol System Defense Medallion Starfleet Award Level: Special Honor Non-Combat/Combat: Combat Other Restrictions: Special Circumstances (See Description) * * * Awarded to the officers and enlisted serving on starships that aid in the defense of the Sol system during attacks.