From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Reserve Good Conduct Medal refers to any one of the five military conduct decorations which are issued by the United States Armed Forces to members of the Reserve and National Guard. The primary difference between the regular Good Conduct Medal and the Reserve Good Conduct Medal is that the Good Conduct Medal is only issued for active duty service while the reserve equivalent is bestowed for reserve duties such as drill and annual training.

Contents 1 Criteria 2 Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal 3 Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal 4 Coast Guard Reserve Good Conduct Medal 5 Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal 6 Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal 7 See Also 8 External links

To be awarded a Reserve Good Conduct Medal, a service member must be an active enlisted member of the Reserve or National Guard and must have performed three to four years of satisfactory duty (to include drill and annual training) with such service being free of disciplinary action. Periods of active duty recall or mobilization are not credible towards the Reserve Good Conduct Medal.

With the exception of the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, the Reserve Good Conduct Medals are intended only for enlisted personnel and are not eligible to be presented to officers. The Armed Forces Reserve Medal is a similar decoration which is awarded for ten years of honorable reserve service and is presented to both officers and enlisted personnel.

First created in 1925 as the Fleet Marine Reserve Medal, this is the oldest of the Reserve Good Conduct Medals. In 1939 the name of the decoration was changed to the Organized Marine Corps Reserve Medal. In 1984, the decoration adopted its current name. As of January 1, 1996, the qualifying period of service is three years. Additional awards are denoted by bronze service stars.

First created in 1962 with retroactive presentation to 1958. The Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal was considered the enlisted successor decoration to the Naval Reserve Medal. Until 1996, the decoration was awarded for four years of satisfactory reserve service, however since 1997 the time period of eligibility has been lowered to three years. Additional awards of the Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal are denoted by service stars.

Created in 1963 and awarded for a standard satisfactory reserve tour of three years of duty. Additional awards are denoted by service stars.

Originally created in 1964 as the "Air Force Reserve Ribbon", the decoration became a full sized medal, under its current name, in 1971. From 1965 to 1974, the award was presented for four years of honorable reserve service, however the time limit was lowered to three years beginning in 1975. Additional awards of the Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal are denoted with oak leaf clusters.

The last of the Reserve Good Conduct Medals to be authorized, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal was first created in 1972. The decoration was awarded for four years of honorable service in the Reserve or National Guard with additional awards denoted by oak leaf clusters. Effective 28 March 1995, the period of qualifying service for the award was reduced from four years to three years; however, this change was not retroactive.

The Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal may also be awarded to officers in the grade of Colonel or below.

• US Army Institute of Heraldry: Reserve Components Achievement Medal