Achievement 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 & Marine Corps 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 |
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.
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.