Achievement Medal
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Achievement Medal
| Achievement Medal | |
|---|---|
 Five different versions of the Achievement Medal are awarded: one for Joint Service, Army, Air Force, Navy & Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard |
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| Awarded by United States Department of Defense | |
| Type | Medal |
| Eligibility | Military Personnel Only |
| Awarded for | "Meritorious service or achievement in either combat or noncombat based on sustained performance or specific achievement of a superlative nature but which does not warrant a Commendation Medal or higher." |
| Status | Currently Awarded |
| Statistics | |
| Established | Navy/Marine Corps - 1961 Coast Guard - 1963 Army - 1981 Air Force - 1981 Joint Service - 1983 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Commendation Medals |
| Next (lower) | Navy & Marine Corps - Combat Action Ribbon Army - Prisoner of War Medal Air Force - Combat Action Medal Coast Guard - Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon |
 
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The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States military. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize the contributions of junior officers and enlisted personnel who were not eligible to receive the higher Commendation Medal or the Meritorious Service Medal.
Each military service issues its own version of the Achievement Medal, with a fifth version authorized by the Department of Defense for joint military activity. The Achievement Medal is awarded for outstanding achievement or meritorious service not of a nature that would otherwise warrant awarding the Commendation Medal. Since the Achievement Medal is designated as an award solely for junior personnel, it is generally only awarded to officers in the pay grade of O-4 and below and enlisted personnel below the grade of E-7. Award authority rests with local commanders, granting a broad discretion of when and for what action the Achievement Medal may be awarded.
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Contents
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The first service to issue the Achievement Medal was the United States Navy in 1961. The medal was originally entitled the “Secretary of the Navy Commendation for Achievement Medal,” but this title was shortened in 1967 to the "Navy Achievement Medal." In 1994, to recognize United States Marines who had received the Navy Achievement Medal, the name of the decoration was officially changed to the "Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal." Nonetheless, the award is still referred to in shorthand as a 'NAM.' [1]
Coast Guard, Army and Air Force
The United States Coast Guard created its own Achievement Medal in 1967; however, the United States Army and U.S. Air Force issued their own versions of the award with the Army Achievement Medal in 1981[2] and Air Force Achievement Medal in 1980.[3] The Joint Service Achievement Medal was created in 1983.[4][5] This award was considered a Department of Defense decoration senior to the service department Achievement Medals. Effective 11 September 2001, the Army Achievement Medal may be awarded in a combat area.[6] Since this change over sixty thousand Army Achievement Medals have been awarded in theaters of operations such as Iraq and Afghanistan.[7]
Devices
Additional awards of the Achievement Medal are denoted by oak leaf clusters, except for the Navy and Coast Guard which issues award stars. Oak leaf clusters are awarded by all services for the Joint Services Achievement Medal. The Valor device may also be awarded for the Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard versions of the Achievement Medal. The Operational Distinguishing Device may also be authorized for wear on the Coast Guard Achievement Medal, upon approval of the awarding authority.
Chain of command for approval
From its inception to 2002, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal could not be approved by ship or squadron captains who were the rank of Commander. Awards for crewmembers had to be submitted to the Commodore or Wing Commander or the first appropriate O-6 in the chain of command for approval, who then signed the award and returned it. This led to a dramatically lower awarding rate when compared to similar size units in the Army or Air Force awarding their own achievement medals. Since 2002 the commanders of squadrons and ships have the authority to award NAMs without submission to higher authority. For the Army, Battalion commanders (or the first 0-5 in a soldier's chain of command) is the approving authority for the Army Achievement Medal.
See also
- Awards and decorations of the United States government
- Awards and decorations of the United States military
- Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Achievement Medal |
References
- ^ SECNAVINST 1650.1H 2006 2-32
- ^ US Army Institute of Heraldry Army Achievement Medal
- ^ Air Force Achievement Medal
- ^ Institute of Heraldry Joint Service Achievement Medal
- ^ Joint Service Achievement Medal
- ^ 578.21 Army Achievement Medal
- ^ Awards and Decorations Statistics by Conflict, Operation or Incident
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