Leadership Medal
{{Short description|South Vietnamese military decoration}}
{{Infobox military award
|name=Leadership Medal
|image=Vietnam Leadership Medal.png
|caption= Leadership Medal with Regiment level device
|presenter={{flag|South Vietnam}}
|type=Five-grade decoration
|eligibility=Vietnamese military officers
|awarded_for=Excellent leadership in combat, operations, training, troop discipline and morale.
|campaign=
|status= No longer awarded
|description=
|clasps=
|established=June 5, 1964
|firstawarded=1964
|lastawarded=1975
|total_awarded=
|total_awarded_posthumously=Yes
|total_recipients=
|individual=
|higher=Armed Forces Honor Medal{{cite book|editor-last=Tucker|editor-first=Spencer C. |title=The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War a Political, Social, and Military History|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaviet00tuck|url-access=limited|date=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|location=Santa Barbara|isbn=9781851099610|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaviet00tuck/page/n857 750]|edition=2nd}}
|same=
|lower=Staff Service Medal
|related=
|image2=100px
Armed Forces level
100px
Corps level
100px
Division level
100px
Brigade level
100px
Regiment level
100px
Battalion level
100px
Company level
|caption2=
}}
The Republic of Vietnam Leadership Medal ({{langx|vi|Chỉ-Đạo Bội-Tinh}}) was a five-grade decoration awarded by South Vietnam. Established in 1964, the medal was awarded to South Vietnamese military commanders by the Chief of the Joint General Staff, Republic of Vietnam Military Forces.
Criteria
The Loyalty Medal was awarded to South Vietnamese military commanders who had shown excellent leadership in "combat, operations, training, troop discipline, and morale". The medal was awarded in five different classes depending on the level of command. It was awarded for commander at the Armed Forces, Corps, Division, Brigade, Regiment, Battalion, and Company levels.{{cite web|title=HUY CHUONG AN THUONG TRONG QUAN-LU'C VlET-NAM CONG-HOA (Medals and Decorations of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces) |url=http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p4013coll11/id/1236 |publisher=Government of the Republic of Vietnam |year=1967 |page=100 |accessdate=26 January 2018}}
Appearance
The Leadership medal is a bronze colored medal. Its pendant depicts a four-pointed star. Between the arms of the star are two swords pointed up with a green laurel wreath behind the swords. The medal hangs from a white ribbon with green edges and a red center stripe. The class of award is shown by a ribbon attachment that is similar in appearance to the military map symbol of the unit level the recipient commanded.