A gold disc 5/8 inch (1.59 cm) in diameter with the coat of arms of the United States in relief in the center,and around the edge a red band 1/16 inch (.16 cm) in width bearing the inscription ''PATRIOTIC PUBLIC SERVICE'' in gold letters.

The Patriotic Civilian Service certificate and lapel button were approved by the Director of Personnel and Administration on 2 March 1948. In November 2014, the Secretary of the Army approved a modification to the Department of the Army Public Service Medals in order to make their nomenclature more consistent with their military equivalents. At that time it was renamed the Patriotic Public Service Lapel Button and the inscription was changed accordingly.