Achievement Medal
The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service of military personnel who were not eligible to receive the higher Commendation Medal or the Meritorious Service Medal.
| Achievement Medal | |
|---|---|
| Five Achievement Medals are awarded by branch or service. From left to right: Joint Service, Army, Navy & Marine Corps, Air Force & Space Force, and Coast Guard. | |
| Type | Medal (decoration) |
| Awarded for | "Meritorious service or achievement in either combat or noncombat situations based on sustained performance or specific achievement of a superlative nature but which does not warrant a Commendation Medal or higher." |
| Presented by | United States Department of Defense United States Department of the Army United States Department of the Navy United States Department of the Air Force United States Department of Homeland Security |
| Eligibility | Military personnel only |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Established | Naval Service (1961) Coast Guard (1963) Army (1981) Air and Space Forces (1980) Joint Service (1983) |
| Service ribbons for the Joint Service, Army, Naval Service, Air and Space Forces, and Coast Guard Achievement Medals | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Service commendation medals |
| Next (lower) | Army: Prisoner of War Medal Naval Service: Combat Action Ribbon Air and Space Forces: Combat Action Medal Coast Guard: Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon |
Each military service issues its own version of the Achievement Medal, with a fifth version authorized by the U.S. 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. Award authority rests with local commanders, granting a broad discretion of when and for what action the Achievement Medal may be awarded.