How To Get Your Medals Issued And Replaced-Once again VA Secretary Nicholson is calling on all Veterans and Military Retirees to wear their medals and ribbons on a day of commemoration, Memorial Day. (This VA program started last Veterans Day. They hope that Medals will be worn on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and the 4th of July). But many of you may not have been issued all the decorations you were entitled or don’t know where they are. Researching this for a TREA member I found information that may be useful to many of you. Surprisingly, the best place to get information on where to go to get medals issued or reissued is the National Archives. Here is the website:
http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/replacement-medals.html at the National Archives. Here are directions where to start:

Requesting Replacement Medals, Awards, and Decorations

Requests for the issuance or replacement of military service medals, decorations, and awards should be directed to the specific branch of the military in which the veteran served. However, for Air Force (including Army Air Corps) and Army personnel, the National Personnel Records Center will verify the awards to which a veteran is entitled and forward the request with the verification to the appropriate service department for issuance of the medals.

The Standard Form (SF 180), Request Pertaining to Military Records, is recommended for requesting medals and awards. Provide as much information as possible and send the form to the appropriate address from the following tables:

Army
Where to write for medals	National Personnel Records Center Medals Section (NRPMA-M) 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where medals are mailed from	U.S. Army Soldier & Biological Chemical Command, IMMC Soldier Systems Directorate 700 Robbins Avenue P.O. Box 57997 Philadelphia, PA 19111-7997
Where to write in case of a problem or an appeal	Commander PERSCOM Attn: TAPC-PDO-PA 200 Stovall Street Alexandria, VA 22332-0471

Air Force (including Army Air Corps & Army Air Forces)
Where to write for medals	National Personnel Records Center Air Force Reference Branch (NRPMF) 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where medals are mailed from	Headquarters Air Force Personnel Ctr AFPC/DPPPR 550 C Street West, Suite 12 Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4714
Where to write in case of a problem or an appeal	Headquarters Air Force Personnel Ctr AFPC/DPPPR 550 C Street West, Suite 12 Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4714

Navy
Where to write for medals	Bureau of Naval Personnel Liaison Office Room 5409 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where medals are mailed from	Bureau of Naval Personnel Liaison Office Room 5409 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where to write in case of a problem or an appeal	Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV 09B33) Awards & Special Projects Washington, DC 20350-2000

Marine Corps
Where to write for medals	Bureau of Naval Personnel Liaison Office Room 5409 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where medals are mailed from	Bureau of Naval Personnel Liaison Office Room 5409 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where to write in case of a problem or an appeal	Commandant of the Marine Corps Military Awards Branch (MMMA) 3280 Russell Road Quantico VA 22134-5100

Coast Guard
Where to write for medals	Bureau of Naval Personnel Liaison Office Room 5409 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where medals are mailed from	Bureau of Naval Personnel Liaison Office Room 5409 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where to write in case of a problem or an appeal	Commandant U.S. Coast Guard Medals and Awards Branch (PMP-4) Washington, DC 20593-0001

Generally, there is no charge for medal or award replacements. The length of time to receive a response or your medals and awards varies depending upon the branch of service sending the medals.