Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a high level military and civilian decoration of the United States of America, issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United States armed forces. The performance must be such as to merit recognition for service which is clearly exceptional. Outstanding performance of normal duty will not alone justify an award of this decoration.
The medal is awarded by the President to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility in time of war or in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States.
An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on military awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the second and subsequent awards of the decoration.
The Distinguished Service Medal is fourth in the order of precedence of U.S. military decorations, and is worn after the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and before the Silver Star.
General Clark was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal on two occasions. The first was for his service as Commander of the 1st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood, Texas from August 1992 to April 1994. There, he transitioned the Division into a rapidly deployable force and conducted three emergency deployments to Kuwait.
1994 - First Award: Distinguished Service Medal:
“These highly successful deployments, according to [Army Corps Commanding General Horace] Taylor, were “only possible due to [Clark’s] establishment of a division-ready brigade structure that provided immediately deployable forces.”
“In Clark’s final Officer Evaluation Report for his command at Fort Hood, General Dennis Reimer of the Army Headquarter Forces Command dubbed him “one of the army’s best and brightest,” and added that Clark will continue to play a key role in leading the army into the 21st century.” He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for “exceptionally meritorious service in a position of great responsibility,” and the citation stated that Clark imbued the Division “with a singular spirit of duty, honor, and selfless service.”
1994 - Second Award: Distinguished Service Medal:
The second presentation of the Distinguished Service Medal was made at General Clark’s retirement ceremony. In his book, Waging Modern War, General Clark writes “
“[On June 23, 2000], I stood on the sunny parade field at Fort Myer for my retirement parade. General Ric Shinseki, now the Army Chief, stood beside me as my host. … Shinseki presented me with the Army Distinguished Service Medal and the first U.S. Kosovo Campaign Medal, which all the U.S. personnel who participated in the campaign were supposed to receive.”
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric Shinseki, who presided over the ceremony, said that Clark "possesses incomparable toughness, drive, and stamina," and has "amassed a resume nothing short of awe-inspiring". Shinseki concluded his remarks by telling Clark that, "you have done your duty, and you have done it well."
Sources:
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=3547
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distinguished_Service_Medal_(Army)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_leaf_clusters
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/faq/FAQ-AwdPrec.htm
http://www.nato.int/cv/saceur/clark.htm
Source: Wesley K. Clark: A Biography by Antonia Felix, pp. 120-122
Source: Waging Modern War by General Wesley K. Clark, p. 414
(photo source: NATO photo, SHAPE)
