There is no such thing as a W campaign star. I'm assuming you mean with a campaign star. Each star represents a campaign that soldier was a part of for a minimum of 30 consecutive days or (I think) 90 nonconsecutive days. There are seven campaign stars authorized. There will never be any more so it's over. What you have is what you have and you can't get any more.
The Bronze Star was a device added to a campaign medal for a second award of the campaign medal.If a soldier served in battles in France and Germany, he may have been in 3 campaigns. He would have been issued the campaign medal for that theater which is called the European - African - Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. The EAME Campaign medal was awarded for any campaigns in North Africa, Italy, Germany, France, etc. For the 1st Campaign he would received the ribbon (they usually did not give out the medal during the war). For the second and third campaign he would receive 1 Bronze Star Device for each campaign. This small star was attached to the ribbon. It was also attached to the ribbon of the Medal itself.There were other Campaign medals for the Pacific. The same would apply for these.This Device should not be confused with the Bronze Star Medal. This medal was in the shape of a star and made of Bronze. It was awarded for bravery in combat but it was also given out for other accomplishments. In 1947, the rules were changed to award the Bronze Star Medal to any infantryman who had earned the Combat Infantryman's Badge---signifying he had been in combat.
The Bronze Star Medal was an award usually given for bravery in war. It was also given out for other reasons and during WW2 a few were awarded to civilians who helped support the troops. After 1947, the Army decided to award a BSM to every infantryman who had fought in combat and was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge. The BSM was a bronze star that hung from a ribbon mostly Red in color with Blue stripe down the center and White on the outside edge.The Bronze Star Device was a star that attached to a Campaign Medal to designate a 2nd or 3rd, etc. award of the Campaign Medal. A soldier was credited with a Campaign Medal for each campaign, such as Normandy, Ardennes, Anzio-Rome. So if a soldier served in 3 campaigns, he would be issued one Campaign Medal for the area of the war he served in and two Bronze Stars he could attach to the ribbon of the Campaign Medal.
A Bronze Service Star was a small bronze star device that was added to a Campaign Medal to indicate 5 campaigns.
As the Military Cross is roughly equivalent to the Silver Star, the closest award in the British Army to a Bronze Star would be Mention in Despatches. This is not a medal, but usually awarded as an oak leaf allowed to be worn on the campaign medal.
The ribbon is likely that for the EAME (Europe Africa Middle East) Medal or the Pacific Medal, depending on which the soldier was in. The little silver star is a campaign star, meaning the soldier took part in one campaign in that Theater of Operations, as the campaigns were defined in War Department General Order Number 33 of 1945. The bronze arrowhead was awarded to troops who took part in an assault landing on enemy territory.
Each star denotes a single campaign.
The Africa Star is a campaign decoration, (technically NOT a medal) and not worth much.
The Bronze Star was a device added to a campaign medal for a second award of the campaign medal.If a soldier served in battles in France and Germany, he may have been in 3 campaigns. He would have been issued the campaign medal for that theater which is called the European - African - Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. The EAME Campaign medal was awarded for any campaigns in North Africa, Italy, Germany, France, etc. For the 1st Campaign he would received the ribbon (they usually did not give out the medal during the war). For the second and third campaign he would receive 1 Bronze Star Device for each campaign. This small star was attached to the ribbon. It was also attached to the ribbon of the Medal itself.There were other Campaign medals for the Pacific. The same would apply for these.This Device should not be confused with the Bronze Star Medal. This medal was in the shape of a star and made of Bronze. It was awarded for bravery in combat but it was also given out for other accomplishments. In 1947, the rules were changed to award the Bronze Star Medal to any infantryman who had earned the Combat Infantryman's Badge---signifying he had been in combat.
No, receiving four Bronze Star campaign stars does not automatically qualify an individual for a Bronze Star Medal. The Bronze Star Medal is awarded for acts of heroism, outstanding service, or meritorious achievement in a combat zone, while campaign stars are used to signify participation in specific campaigns or operations. They represent different forms of recognition and are not interchangeable.
A Service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment(or device) to a military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Someone serving in a Campaign would receive one of the two Campaign Ribbons/Medals. He would receive an Oak Leaf device for each Battle after that until he had obtained 4, then he would be issued the battle star. So the Battle Star is just a star. The Medal for service in Morroco would be a campaign medal and most likely the European - African - Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.
* Navy Cross - four gold award stars (Five Navy Crosses!) * Distinguished Service Cross * Silver Star * Legions of Merit - one gold award star and Valor device * Bronze Star - Valor device * Air Medal - two Gold Stars * Purple Heart * Presidential Unit Citation - four bronze stars * Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal - bronze star * Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal - bronze star * World War I Victory Medal - West Indies clasp * Haitian Campaign Medal * Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal * China Service Medal * American Defense Service Medal - Base Clasp * American Campaign Medal * Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - four bronze stars * World War II Victory Medal * National Defense Service Medal * Korean War Service Medal - one silver star (in lieu of five bronze stars)
The Bronze Star Medal was an award usually given for bravery in war. It was also given out for other reasons and during WW2 a few were awarded to civilians who helped support the troops. After 1947, the Army decided to award a BSM to every infantryman who had fought in combat and was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge. The BSM was a bronze star that hung from a ribbon mostly Red in color with Blue stripe down the center and White on the outside edge.The Bronze Star Device was a star that attached to a Campaign Medal to designate a 2nd or 3rd, etc. award of the Campaign Medal. A soldier was credited with a Campaign Medal for each campaign, such as Normandy, Ardennes, Anzio-Rome. So if a soldier served in 3 campaigns, he would be issued one Campaign Medal for the area of the war he served in and two Bronze Stars he could attach to the ribbon of the Campaign Medal.
Bronze Star Medal (BSM)
A Bronze Service Star was a small bronze star device that was added to a Campaign Medal to indicate 5 campaigns.
Automatically you will put one star on the Iraq Campaign ribbon. Depending on what phases of the Iraqi transition you were there for would determine how many stars you would have. You receive one star for each of the phases you were there for. To check the dates on that got to usmc.mil and type in Iraq campaign in the search. The order on it should be there.
Check in AR 1670-1 or go ask your NCO
As the Military Cross is roughly equivalent to the Silver Star, the closest award in the British Army to a Bronze Star would be Mention in Despatches. This is not a medal, but usually awarded as an oak leaf allowed to be worn on the campaign medal.