The Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service is the highest award that is presented by the United States Secretary of Defense to a private citizen, politician, non-career federal employee, or foreign national.

[1] To be eligible for consideration the individual must have rendered exceptionally distinguished service of significance to the Department of Defense as a whole.

The service or assistance may have been rendered at considerable personal sacrifice and inconvenience and should be motivated by patriotism, good citizenship, and a sense of public responsibility.

The reverse contains the inscription "TO...FOR DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE".

The edge of the medallion is surrounded by a laurel wreath on both the obverse and reverse.