- Commendation Medal
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For other medals of the same name, see Commendation Medal (disambiguation).
Commendation Medal
Five different versions of the Commendation Medal are awarded: one for Joint Service, Air Force, Army, Navy & Marine Corps, and the Coast GuardAwarded by United States Department of Defense Type Medal Eligibility Military personnel only Awarded for "distinguishing oneself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service." Status Currently Awarded Statistics Established Navy/Marine Corps - 1943
Coast Guard - 1943
Army - 1945
Air Force - 1958
Joint Service - 1963Precedence Next (higher) Meritorious Service Medal (MSM)
Air Medal
Air Force - Aerial Achievement MedalNext (lower) Achievement Medals
The Joint Service, Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard Commendation Medal ribbons.The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star, the Valor device ("V" device) may be authorized as an attachment to the decoration. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth version existing for acts of joint military service performed under the Department of Defense.
The Commendation Medal was originally a ribbon, and was first issued by the Navy and U.S. Coast Guard in 1943. An Army Commendation Ribbon followed in 1945, and in 1949, the Navy, Coast Guard, and Army Commendation ribbons were renamed the "Commendation Ribbon with Medal Pendant." By 1960, the Commendation Ribbons had been authorized as full medals and were subsequently referred to as Commendation Medals. For additional awards of the Commendation Medal, the Army issues bronze and silver oak leaf clusters while the Navy and Coast Guard furnish gold and silver award stars. The Operational Distinguishing Device is authorized for the Coast Guard Commendation Medal upon approval of the awarding authority. Order of Precedence is following Bronze Star Medal but before the Prisoner of War Medal and all campaign medals. Each of the military services also issue an Achievement Medal, which is a lesser decoration.
Contents
Army
The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States other than General Officers who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Army after 6 December 1941, distinguished themselves by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service. Award may be made to a member of the Armed Forces of a friendly foreign nation who, after 1 June 1962, distinguishes themselves by an act of heroism, extraordinary achievement, or significant meritorious service which has been of mutual benefit to the friendly nation[1] and the United States.[2]
Originally established in November 1943 as the Navy Commendation Ribbon, redsignated as the Navy Commendation Medal in September 1960, and renamed the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal in 1994, this decoartion is awarded by operational commanders, requiring the signature of an Officer in the grade of O-6. This allows for interpretation of the criteria for which the medal may be awarded.
For instance, in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal is considered a somewhat high decoration reserved for Department Head level officers at the O-4 level, senior Navy CPOs and senior Marine Corps NCOs at the E-8 and E-9 level and, following a full career, as a retirement award. However, beginning in the 1990s, award of this decoration to junior Navy and Marine Corps officers at the O-3 level and CPOs and NCOs at the E-7 in a manner similar to the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force has become increasingly common. In contrast, the awarding of the Army Commendation Medal in the U.S. Army and the Air Force Commendation Medal in the U.S. Air Force is not limited to senior service members, and can be awarded to junior NCOs in the grade of E-6 and below and junior officers in the grade O-3 and below.
The U.S. Marine Corps has always been issued the Navy's commendation medal and there is not a separate commendation medal intended only for Marines. This lack of difference was recognized in 1994 when Secretary of the Navy John Howard Dalton changed the name of the Navy Commendation Medal to the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.[3]
The U.S. Coast Guard awards a separate Coast Guard Commendation Medal, with a ribbon similar in design to that of its Navy and Marine Corps counterpart. Initially established as the Coast Guard Commendation Ribbon in 1947, it was redesignated as the Coast Guard Commendation Medal in 1959. Criteria for its award has paralleled that of the Navy and Marine Corps.[4]
Air Force
The U.S. Air Force began issuing its own Air Force Commendation Medal in 1958 with additional awards denoted by oak leaf clusters. Prior to this time, USAF recipients received the Army Commendation Medal. It was not until 1996 that the "V" device for valor was authorized on the Air Force Commendation Medal; prior to 1996, there was not a Valor distinction in effect for the Air Force Commendation Medal.[5]
Joint Service
The last of the Commendation Medals is the Joint Service Commendation Medal, which was created in 1963. This award is intended for senior service on a joint military staff and is senior in precedence to service-specific Commendation Medals. As such, it is worn above the service Commendation Medals on a military uniform. As a joint award, multiple awards are denoted with an oak leaf cluster regardless of service.[6]
See also
See also: Category:Recipients of the Army Commendation Medal- 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
References
External links
- US Army Institute of Heraldry: Army Commendation Medal
- Department of the Army, DoD Army Commendation Medal 578.20
- US Army Institute of Heraldry: Joint Service Commendation Medal
- HRC Joint Awards FAQ
Inter-service awards and decorations of the United States militaryFederal military decorations DoD decorations Defense Distinguished Service · Defense Superior Service · Defense Meritorious Service · Joint Service Commendation · Joint Service Achievement · Joint Meritorious UnitFederal service medals National Defense Service Medal · Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal · Humanitarian Service Medal · Outstanding Volunteer Service · Armed Forces Service Medal · Armed Forces Reserve · POW · Antarctica Service · Korean Service · Korea Defense Service · Vietnam Service · Southwest Asia Service · Kosovo Campaign · Afghanistan Campaign Medal · Iraq Campaign Medal · GWOT Expeditionary Medal · GWOT Service MedalDecorations Air Force Cross · Air Force Distinguished Service · Airman's Medal · Aerial Achievement · Air Force Commendation · Air Force AchievementService medals Unit awards Service ribbons Outstanding Airman of the Year · Air Force Recognition · Overseas Service Short Tour · Overseas Service Long Tour · Air Force Expeditionary Service · Air Force Longevity · Military Training Instructor · Air Force Recruiter · NCO PME Graduate · Basic Training Honor Graduate · Marksmanship · Air Force TrainingDecorations Distinguished Service Cross · Distinguished Service Medal · Soldier's Medal · Army Commendation · Army AchievementGood conduct Unit awards Service ribbons Meritorious medals Navy Cross · Navy Distinguished Service · Navy and Marine Corps Medal · Navy and Marine Corps Commendation · Navy and Marine Corps AchievementExpeditionary medals Good Conduct medals Unit awards _Presidential_Unit_Citation ·__ Presidential Unit Citation · Navy Unit Commendation · Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation · Navy E Ribbon Ribbons Marksmanship _Navy_Expert_Rifleman_Medal ·__ _ Navy_Sharpshooter_Rifle_Ribbon ·__ Navy Expert Rifleman Medal · _ Navy_Sharpshooter_Rifle_Ribbon ·__ Navy Sharpshooter Rifle Ribbon · Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon · _ Navy_Expert_Pistol_Shot_Medal ·__ _ Navy_Sharpshooter_Pistol_Shot_Medal ·__ Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal · _ Navy_Sharpshooter_Pistol_Shot_Medal ·__ Navy Sharpshooter Pistol Shot Medal · Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon Decorations Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal · Coast Guard Medal · Commendation Medal · Achievement Medal · Commandant's Letter of Commendation RibbonLifesaving Medals Unit Awards Conduct Medals Service Awards _Combat_Action_Ribbon _·__ 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 _·__ Overseas Service Ribbon · Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon · Recruiting Service Ribbon Marksmanship _Distinguished_Marksman_Ribbon _·__ _ Silver_Excellence_in_Competition_Rifle_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Bronze_Excellence_in_Competition_Rifle_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Expert_Rifle_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Sharpshooter_Rifle_Ribbon_ ·__ Distinguished Marksman Ribbon · _ Silver_Excellence_in_Competition_Rifle_Ribbon _·__ _ Bronze_Excellence_in_Competition_Rifle_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Expert_Rifle_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Sharpshooter_Rifle_Ribbon_ ·__ Silver Excellence in Competition Rifle Ribbon · _ Bronze_Excellence_in_Competition_Rifle_Ribbon _·__ _ Expert_Rifle_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Sharpshooter_Rifle_Ribbon_ ·__ Bronze Excellence in Competition Rifle Ribbon · _ Expert_Rifle_Ribbon _·__ _ Sharpshooter_Rifle_Ribbon_ ·__ Expert Rifle Ribbon · _ Sharpshooter_Rifle_Ribbon _·__ Sharpshooter Rifle Ribbon · Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon · _ Distinguished_Pistol_Shot_Ribbon _·__ _ Silver_Pistol_Excellence_in_Competition_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Bronze_Pistol_Excellence_in_Competition_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Expert_Pistol_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Sharpshooter_Pistol_Ribbon_ ·__ Distinguished Pistol Shot Ribbon · _ Silver_Pistol_Excellence_in_Competition_Ribbon _·__ _ Bronze_Pistol_Excellence_in_Competition_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Expert_Pistol_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Sharpshooter_Pistol_Ribbon_ ·__ Silver Pistol Excellence in Competition Ribbon · _ Bronze_Pistol_Excellence_in_Competition_Ribbon _·__ _ Expert_Pistol_Ribbon_ ·__ _ Sharpshooter_Pistol_Ribbon_ ·__ Bronze Pistol Excellence in Competition Ribbon · _ Expert_Pistol_Ribbon _·__ _ Sharpshooter_Pistol_Ribbon_ ·__ Expert Pistol Ribbon · _ Sharpshooter_Pistol_Ribbon _·__ Sharpshooter Pistol Ribbon · Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon Categories:- Military awards and decorations of the United States
- Awards and decorations of the United States Air Force
- Awards and decorations of the United States Army
- Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard
- Awards and decorations of the United States Navy
- Awards and decorations of the United States Marine Corps
- Awards established in 1943
- Awards established in 1945
- Awards established in 1958
- Awards established in 1963
- Awards established in 1994
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