Achievement Medal

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
Type	Medal
Eligibility	Military Personnel Only
Status	Currently Awarded
Established	Navy/Marine Corps - 1961; Coast Guard - 1963; Army - 1981; Air Force - 1981; Joint Service - 1983
	; ; ribbons for Joint, Army, Air Force, Navy & Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Achievement Medals
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

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.

Navy and Marines

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] 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.^[5]Since this change over sixty thousand Army Achievement Medals have been awarded in theaters of operations such as Iraq and Afghanistan. ^[6]

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.

External links

References

[1] SECNAVINST 1650.1H 2006 2-32

[2] US Army Institute of Heraldry Army Achievement Medal

[3] Air Force Achievement Medal

[4] Institute of Heraldry Joint Service Achievement Medal

[5] 578.21 Army Achievement Medal

[6] Awards and Decorations Statistics by Conflict, Operation or Incident

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

v t e Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Air Force
Decorations	Medal of Honor Air Force Cross Distinguished Service Silver Star Medal Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Airman's Medal Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal Aerial Achievement Air and Space Commendation Air and Space Achievement
Unit awards	Presidential Unit Citation Gallant Unit Citation Meritorious Unit Air and Space Outstanding Unit Air and Space Organizational Excellence
Service medals	Combat Action Medal Combat Readiness Air Force Good Conduct Space Force Good Conduct Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal Air and Space Campaign Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Service ribbons	Outstanding Airman of the Year Air and Space Recognition Overseas Service Short Tour Overseas Service Long Tour Air and Space Expeditionary Service Air and Space Longevity Developmental Special Duty NCO PME Graduate Basic Training Honor Graduate Marksmanship Air and Space Training

v t e Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Army
Decorations	Medal of Honor Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Soldier's Medal Bronze Star Purple Heart Meritorious Service Air Medal Army Commendation Army Achievement
Good conduct	Army Good Conduct Reserve Achievement
Unit awards	Presidential Unit Citation Valorous Unit Meritorious Unit Commendation Superior Unit
Service ribbons	Sea Duty NCO Professional Development Army Service Overseas Service Reserve Overseas Training Army Recruiting Ribbon
Defunct	Certificate of Merit

v t e Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Navy
Personal decorations	Medal of Honor Navy Cross Navy Distinguished Service Silver Star Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Navy and Marine Corps Medal Bronze Star Purple Heart Meritorious Service Air Medal Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Combat Action
Unit awards	Presidential Unit Citation Navy Unit Commendation Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Navy E Ribbon
Good Conduct medals	Navy Good Conduct Marine Corps Good Conduct Selected Marine Corps Reserve
Expeditionary medals	Navy Expeditionary Marine Corps Expeditionary
Service ribbon awards	Sea Service Naval Reserve Sea Service Arctic Service Antarctica Service Overseas Service Navy Recruiting Service Marine Corps Recruiting Service Navy Accession Training Service Ribbon Marine Corps Drill Instructor Marine Corps Security Guard Marine Corps Combat Instructor Navy Ceremonial Duty Navy Basic Military Training Honor Graduate
Marksmanship	Navy Expert Rifleman Medal Navy Sharpshooter Rifle Ribbon Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal Navy Sharpshooter Pistol Shot Ribbon Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon

v t e Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard
Decorations	Medal of Honor Coast Guard Cross Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Coast Guard Medal Bronze Star Purple Heart Meritorious Service Air Medal Commendation Medal Achievement Medal Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon
Lifesaving Medals	Gold Lifesaving Medal Silver Lifesaving Medal
Unit Awards	Presidential Unit Citation Coast Guard Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Team Commendation Coast Guard E Ribbon
Conduct Medals	Good Conduct Medal Reserve Good Conduct Medal
Service Awards	Combat Action Ribbon Enlisted Person of the Year Ribbon Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal Special Operations Service Ribbon Sea Service Ribbon Restricted Duty Ribbon Overseas Service Ribbon Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon Recruiting Service Ribbon
Marksmanship	Distinguished Marksman Medal Distinguished Pistol Shot Medal Silver Excellence-in-Competition Rifle Medal Silver Pistol Excellence-in-Competition Medal Bronze Excellence-in-Competition Rifle Medal Bronze Pistol Excellence-in-Competition Medal Expert Rifle Medal Expert Pistol Medal Sharpshooter Rifle Ribbon Sharpshooter Pistol Ribbon Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon