Medals

Medals are a feature introduced in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. A similar system was featured in Metal Gear Arcade.

Medals provide stat bonuses as a means to increase stats of characters, thereby increasing the usefulness of soldiers the player may be attached to.

There are 3 main types of medals. Each individual DD Soldier can potentially accumulate all 3 for a maximum stat boost; however, they are required to be in the Combat Unit at least temporarily - despite the fact that medals increase all of a soldiers stats. Each medal gives a boost of 30 points.

Distinguished Service Medal

"Awarded to staff who participated in numerous missions, making significant contributions to the unit."

The Distinguished Service Medal is awarded one of three ways:

1. Completing three Main Ops as a particular soldier.
2. Completing three dispatch/combat deployment missions.
3. Completing three FOB invasions. Does not include practice invasions against one's own FOB.

Service Cross

"Awarded to staff who fought through extreme conditions and returned alive."

This is given to soldiers who are kidnapped and then saved (with the exception of Hideo and Ziang Tan). Soldiers are kidnapped in certain missions, selected through systematic, but seemingly random methods. As such, this one is the most difficult to ascertain through controllable (currently known) methods. However, it is proven that this medal is earned by DD soldiers in the following missions (note that female soldiers and soldiers on Direct Contracts do not show up as hostages in these missions if placed in the respective units):

1. Episode 17: Rescue the Intel Agents: Earned by two Intel Unit Hostages.
2. Episode 22: Retake the Platform: Earned by up to six R&D Unit Hostages.
3. Episode 27: Root Cause: Earned by one Intel Unit Hostage (If extracted before injured).

Wandering puppets receive this medal upon extraction, and can be found in the following missions:

1. Episode 6: Where do the Bees Sleep?
2. Episode 16: Traitor's Caravan & Episode 37: [Extreme] Traitor's Caravan.
3. Episode 28: Code Talker & Episode 48: [Extreme] Code Talker.
4. Episode 29: Metallic Archaea & Episode 42: [Extreme] Metallic Archaea.
5. Side Ops 128-142: Eliminate the Wandering Puppets 1-15.

Wandering Mother Base Soldiers also earn this medal through their respective Side Ops.

Staff who are captured by rival players then rescued by the player by infiltrating the rival's FOB and successfully getting to the core will NOT receive this medal.

As it stands, female soldiers can NOT receive the Service Cross by any legitimate means on Console platforms, and only by modding or save-editing the game on PC.

Medal of Honor

"Awarded to staff who performed outstanding acts of combat in defense of base facilities."

This is given to the soldier (player-controlled) that kills an infiltrator in a FOB mission. The soldier (player-controlled) will NOT receive the Medal of Honor for Fultoning the infiltrator despite a successful defense of the FOB. An allied guard that kills the infiltrator will not receive the medal, nor will the player-controlled soldier by extension. The soldier (player-controlled) will NOT receive the Medal of Honor if the infiltrator kills themselves, be it on purpose or by accident. The player-controlled soldier must personally kill the infiltrator to receive this medal.