The Achievement Medal is the lowest of the United States military’s meritorious service medals. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize the contributions of junior officers and enlisted personnel who were not be eligible to receive the higher Commendation Medal or the Meritorious Service Medal. The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the United States Army United States Navy United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard Note: The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. ... Awards and decorations of the United States military are military decorations which recognize a service members service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces. ... The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military award which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. ... The Meritorious Service Medal is a military award presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding non-combat meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969. ...

Military Achievement Medals File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

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 not warrant the award 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 to when and for what action the Achievement Medal may be awarded. The United States Department of Defense, abbreviated DoD or DOD and sometimes called the Defense Department, is a civilian Cabinet organization of the United States government. ...

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". The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated like the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal. // Events January Bill Clinton January 1 : North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ...

The United States Coast Guard created its own Achievement Medal in 1967, however the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force waited until 1981 to issue their own versions of the award. The Joint Service Achievement Medal, considered a Department of Defense decoration senior to the service department Achievement Medals, was created in 1983. Coast Guard shield The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a military branch of the United States involved in maritime law, mariner assistance and search and rescue, among other duties of any coast guard. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Additional awards of the Achievement Medal are denoted by oak leaf clusters, except for the Navy and Coast Guard which issues award stars. 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, to the Coast Guard Achievement Medal, upon approval of the awarding authority. Effective 11 September, 2001, the Army Achievement Medal may be awarded in a combat area, but for non-combat meritorious service. Bronze and Silver oak leaf clusters An Oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on military awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. ... Gold and Silver Award Stars An Award star is a decoration issued by the United States military to denote multiple military awards issued to personnel of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and United States Marines. ... The Valor device, also known as V-device, V device, and Combat V, is an award of the United States military which is authorized by the military services as an attachment to certain awards and decorations. ... Coast Guard Unit Commendation with Award star and Operational Distinguishing Device The Operational Distinguishing Device is a decoration of the United States Coast Guard which is awarded to certain units as an attachment to a unit award (such as the Coast Guard Unit Commendation and Meritorious Unit Commendation). ...