as of september 27, 2006, gold 5/16 inch arabic numerals are used to denote the number of "individual" air medals. this is a return to the standard used before november 22, 1989. in the interval between november 22, 1989, and september 27, 2006, bronze, gold, and silver 5/16 inch stars denoted the number of "individual" air medals awarded. a bronze star was used to denote a first award and gold stars were used for the second through the fifth awards, seventh through tenth awards, and so on. silver stars were used in lieu of five gold stars, and denote the sixth and eleventh (and so on) awards.