Commendation Medal
Commendation Medals | |
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Type | Military medal (decoration) |
Awarded for | Heroism, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service |
Presented by | United States Department of Defense United States Department of the Army[1] United States Department of the Navy[2] United States Department of the Air Force[3] United States Department of Homeland Security[4] |
Eligibility | Military personnel only |
Status | Currently awarded |
Established | Naval Service: 1943 Coast Guard: 1943 Army: 1945 Air and Space Forces: 1958 Joint Service: 1963 |
| |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) | Army, Naval Service, and Coast Guard: Air Medal Air and Space Forces: Aerial Achievement Medal |
Next (lower) | Joint Service Achievement Medal |
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. 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 only a
Additional awards of the Army and Air and Space Commendation Medals are denoted by bronze and silver
Variants
For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the
Commendation Medals by service and branch
Joint Service
The Joint Service Commendation Medal (JSCM) was authorized on June 25, 1963 and is awarded in the name of the Secretary of Defense to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who, after January 1, 1963, distinguished themselves by meritorious achievement or service in a joint duty capacity.
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.[5][6]
- Devices
- Oak leaf cluster (for subsequent awards)
- "V" Device(for valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy)
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
- Criteria and appearance
The Army Commendation Medal is awarded to American and foreign military personnel in the grade of O-6 (Colonel in the U.S. Army) and below who have performed noteworthy service in any capacity with the United States Army. Qualifying service for the award of the medal can be for distinctive meritorious achievement and service, acts of courage involving no voluntary risk of life, or sustained meritorious performance of duty. Approval of the award must be made by an officer in the grade of Colonel (O-6) or higher.
The medallion of the Army Commendation Medal is a bronze hexagon, 13⁄8 inches wide. On the medallion is an American bald eagle with wings spread horizontally, grasping in its talons three crossed arrows. On its breast is a shield
- Devices
- Oak leaf cluster (for subsequent awards)
- "V" Device(for valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy)
- "C" Device (for meritorious service or achievement under combat conditions. Unofficially called the Combat Commendation. Retroactive Awards are not authorized for medals awarded before January 7, 2016) [8]
- "R" Device (for direct and immediate impact on combat operations from a remote location) [8]
After World War I, the Department of the Navy authorized the Navy Commendation Star, a ribbon device to be placed on the World War I Victory Medal. The 3⁄16 inch silver star was identical to the Army Citation Star, but not comparable, as the later recognized "gallantry in action", while the Navy Commendation Star denoted those who had been cited and commended for performance of duty by the Secretary of the Navy.
An independent Navy Commendation Ribbon was established in November 1943. On March 22, 1950 a metal pendant (of the same design as the pendant of the Army Commendation Medal) was authorized and the Commendation Ribbon was renamed the Navy Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant. This award was re-designated as the Navy Commendation Medal in September 1960, and renamed the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal in 1994. This decoration was previously awarded only by flag rank operational commanders, requiring the signature of an admiral or general officer in the grade of
Recipient members of the
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.[10]
- Devices
- Combat "V", and Operational Distinguishing Device(Coast Guard)
Air and Space Forces
The Department of the 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 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. On January 7, 2016, the "C" device and "R" device was authorized on the Air Force Commendation Medal as well. For USAF enlisted personnel, the Air Force Commendation Medal is worth three points under the Air Force enlisted promotion system.[11]
On 16 November 2020, it was renamed the Air and Space Commendation Medal (ASCOM) by the Secretary of the Air Force. [12]
- Criteria and appearance
The Air and Space Commendation Medal is awarded to both American and foreign military personnel of any service branch in the U.S. military grade of
The Air and Space Commendation Medal is a bronze hexagonal medallion. On the medallion is a shield surmounted by an eagle superimposed over clouds. On the shield bears a pair of flyer's wings and a vertical baton with an eagle's claw at either end; behind the shield are eight lightning bolts. The design on the shield is derived from the Seal of the Department of the Air Force. The ribbon of the Air and Space Commendation Medal is golden yellow with blue edges. In the center are three bands of blue, the outer stripes are thin with the center stripe being wider.[13]
- Devices
- Oak leaf cluster (for subsequent awards)
- "V" device (for valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy)
- "C" device (for meritorious service in direct contact with an enemy)
- "R" device (for employment of a remote weapon system during military operations)
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
- United States military award devices
References
- ^ "Army Regulation 600–8–22" (PDF). Department of the Army. December 11, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 11, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 18, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Production publication" (PDF). static.e-publishing.af.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 27, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
- ^ "Data" (PDF). media.defense.gov. 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ "Joint Service Commendation Medal". The Institute of Heraldry. Archived from the original on December 17, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
- ^ Joint Service Commendation Medal Archived February 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, US Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
- ^ The Institute of Heraldry. Archived from the originalon September 4, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
- ^ a b "HRC Homepage". Hrc.army.mil. Archived from the original on January 1, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- ^ SECNAVINST 1650.1H 2006 2-31 Archived September 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Coast Guard Commendation Medal". foxfall.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
- ^ "Factsheets : Air Force Commendation Medal". af.mil. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
- ^ "Military awards manuel" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
- ^ a b Air Force Instruction 36-2803 The Air Force Military Awards and Decorations Program (PDF). United States Air Force. December 18, 2013. pp. 88–90. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
Further reading
- Foster, Frank C. (2002). A Complete Guide to All United States Military Medals, 1939 to Present. Fountain Inn, SC: MOA Press. OCLC 54755134.
- Kerrigan, Evans E. (1971). American War Medals and Decorations. New York: Viking Press. OCLC 21467942
- Robles, Philip K. (1971). United States Military Medals and Ribbons. Rutland, VT: C. E. Tuttle. OCLC 199721.