The Augusta Jane Evans Wilson Chapter in Temple Terrace, Florida, is active in bestowing United Daughters of the Confederacy Military Service Awards. 

Military Service Awards are presented to persons who are lineal or collateral blood descendants of Confederate military personnel who have given a minimum of 90-days active-duty military service to our country in the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Merchant Marines and U.S. Navy.   Both ancestor and descendant's service must be honorable.  They are the outgrowth of the UDC's Southern Cross of Honor bestowed to Confederate Veterans.

 (NOTE:  If you are in possession of an original Southern Cross, we would like to hear from you.  Please email us.

If you have a family member who would qualify for one of these awards, please contact our chapter Recorder for Military Service Awards so that we can being the process.  We will need DD214 or other proof of service, along with a pedigree chart (lineage) to the Confederate ancestor.  If you are outside or area, or cannot make plans to attend our Ceremony of Bestowal, we will attempt to introduce you to another Chapter.
(Download MSA Brochure)

The Brave Beget the Brave

The following awards are available for Lineal descendants:

Crosses of Military Service

World War II

Korean War

Vietnam Conflict

Global War on Terror

These decorations have been established as a testimonial to the patriotic devotion of worthy Confederate Soldiers or Sailors and their descendants.

The medal in the shape of the Maltese Crossed used on the Southern Cross of Honor, is presented to veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam Conflict.

This is the most prestigious award presented by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and was established as a testimonial to the patriotic devotion of the descendants of Confederate Veterans.

Description - The Cross of Honor dated 1861-65

Foreground: A Crusader Cross in bold relief, each bound to the other by the Battle Flag of the Confederacy and linked by the entwined monogram, UDC, to ribbon. It is attached to a laurel leaf as a special mark of valor for those who distinguished themselves in feats of courage. The color of the ribbon signifies the War of Conflict in which the recipient served.

Motto: Fortes Creantur Fortibus - The brave beget the brave (Pronounced for-taze cray-ahn-tour for-tea-bus)

Award criteria:

World War II Cross of Military Service is for service between 8 December 1941 and 31 December 1946.

Korean War Cross of Military Service is for service between 27 June 1950 and 11 November 1955, in Korean or on land / in airspace / in waters contiguous to Korea.

Vietnam Conflict Cross of Military Service is for service between 6 July 1964 and 28 March 1973, in Vietnam or on land / in airspace / in waters contiguous to Vietnam.

Global War on Terror Cross of Military Service - A new Cross of Military Service for the Global War on Terror (GWOT) was approved at the 118th Annual General Convention in Fort Worth, Texas.  Due to the unusual way the GWOT went from an Expedition to Conflict, veterans who have already received the UDC Expeditionary Service Medal for the Global War on Terror (GWOT) may also be eligible for the Cross of Military Service for the Global War on Terror.  These veterans will be authorized to wear both. The reason is that the Department of Defense (DOD) originally considered Iraq and Afghanistan to be an Expedition, but as the conflict continued to rage, by April 2005 it was acknowledged to be a full-fledged conflict and the Armed Forces ceased authorizing the Expeditionary Service Medal for Iraq and Afghanistan and instead authorized only the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (GWOT-S) and campaign medals for Iraq and Afghanistan. The Expeditionary and GWOT-S overlapped for several years so we believe that UDC should do the same. However, not everyone who was awarded a UDC Expeditionary Service Medal will be eligible for the Cross.  He/she must have served in Iraq or Afghanistan or contiguous waters and have been awarded campaign medals as well as the GWOT-S.

National Defense Medal

National Defense Medal is presented to veterans who served in the Korean War (27 June 1950 to 11 November 1955) or the Vietnam Conflict (1 January 1961 to 14 August 1974) but not in country / on land / in airspace / in waters contiguous thereto or in the Persian Gulf War (2 August 1990 to 30 November 1995). Description: The bronze medal features a seated "Liberty" flanked by the Flag of the United States of America and the First National Flag of the Confederacy and framed by laurel leaves. The medal is suspended from the official red and white ribbon by the intertwined initials, UDC.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is presented to veterans who served a minimum of 90-days in the U.S. Armed Forces with service of at least 30-days in U.S. Military Operations, U.S. Military Operations in Direct Support of United Nations or U.S. Operations of Assistance for Friendly Foreign Nations after 1 July 1958. Description: The bronze medal features the Western Hemisphere supported by the Flag of the United States of America and the First National Flag of the Confederacy framed by laurel leaves. The medal is suspended from the official red and white ribbon by the intertwined initials, UDC.

The Award criteria for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal are as follows:

• Berlin is for service between 14 Aug 1961 and 1 June 1963
• Cambodia is for service between 29 March 1973 and 15 Aug 1973
• Congo is for service between 14 July 1960 and 1 Sept 1962
• Cuba is for service between 24 Oct 1962 and 1 June 1963
• Dominican Republic is for service between 28 April 1965 and 21 Sept. 1966
• El Salvador is for service between 1 Jan 1981 and 1 Feb 1992
• Global War on Terror (Afghanistan, Iraq, and all areas of support) is for service between 11 Sept 2001 and to date
• Grenada is for service between 23 Oct 1983 and 21 Nov 1983
• Haiti is for service between 16 Sept 1994 and 31 March 1995
• Korea is for service between 1 Oct 1966 and 30 June 1974
• Laos is for service between 19 April 1961 and 7 Oct 1962
• Lebanon is for service between 1 July 1958 and 1 Nov 1958
• Lebanon is for service between 1 June 1983 and 1 Dec 1987
• Panama is for service between 20 Dec 1989 and 31 Jan 1990
• Persian Gulf is for service between 24 July 1987 and 1 Aug 1990
• Quemoy & Matsu Islands is for service between 23 Aug 1958 and 1 June 1963
• Somalia is for service between 5 Dec 1992 and 31 March 1995
• Southwest Asia
  --- Southern Watch is for service between 1 Dec 1995 and tbd
  --- Maritime Intercept is for service between 1 Dec 1995 and tbd
  --- Vigilant Sentinel is for service between 1 Dec 1995 & 15 Feb 1997
  --- Northern Watch is for service between 1 Jan 1997 and tbd
  --- Desert Thunder is for service between 11 Nov 1998 & 22 Dec 1998
  --- Desert Spring is for service between 31 Dec 1998 and tbd
   
• Taiwan Straits is for service between 23 Aug 1958 and 1 Jan 1959
• Thailand (only those in support of Cambodia operations) is for service between 29 Mar 1973 and 15 Aug 1973
• Vietnam is for service between 1 July 1958 and 3 July 1965
• Yugoslavia, Former Republic of (Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia only) is for service between 1 June 1992 and 20 June 1998
• Yugoslavia, Former Republic of, is for service between 21 June 1998 and tbd

Certificate of Appreciation

Certificates of Appreciation are presented to Servicemen and Servicewomen who service does not meet the criteria for the other Military Service Awards. The Certificate of Appreciation may not be awarded posthumously.

The following award is available for Collateral descendants (e.g. uncles):

Meritorious Service Awards are presented to individuals who are collateral blood descendants (i.e., great-nieces/nephews, great-great-nieces/ nephews) of Confederate military personnel who have given a minimum of 90-days active-duty military service to our country in the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Merchant Marines and U.S. Navy. Posthumous awards are permitted. It was established the 108th Annual General Convention in 2001 in Columbia, SC. The bronze medal, in the shape of a shield has 13 stars to represent the 13 Confederate States. The words Meritorious Service, the Flag of the United States, First National Confederate Flag and the dates 1861 - 1865 are surrounded by a laurel wreath symbolizing remembrance. The awards criteria is the same as for the Military Service Awards detailed above.

If you or someone you know may be eligible, please contact our chapter's Recorder of Crosses of Military Service, Kim Ellis.