Code of Federal Regulations Title 22. Foreign Relations § 22.3.7 Decorations

(a) Decorations tendered in recognition of active field service in time of combat operations or awarded for other outstanding or unusually meritorious performance may be accepted, retained, and worn by an employee, subject to the approval of the employing agency. Without such approval, the decoration is deemed to have been accepted on behalf of the United States and, like tangible gifts of more than minimal value, must be deposited by the employee with the designated depository office for the employing agency within sixty days after acceptance, for retention for official use or for disposal in accordance with § 3.9.

(b) The decision as to whether a decoration has been awarded for outstanding or unusually meritorious performance will be made:

(c) To justify an affirmative decision, a statement from the foreign government, preferably in the form of a citation which shows the specific basis for the tender of the award, should be supplied. An employee who has received or been tendered a decoration should forward to the designated depository office of the employing agency a request for review of the case. This request should contain a statement of circumstances of the award and such documentation from the foreign government as has accompanied it. The depository office will obtain the decision of the cognizant office as to whether the award meets the statutory criteria and thus whether the decoration may be retained and worn. Pending receipt of that decision, the decoration should remain in the custody of the recipient.